36Issue of postal voter cards and ballot‑papers

36  Issue of postal voter cards and ballot‑papers

 (1) Subject to subrule (2), on receiving an application for a postal vote that is properly made, signed and witnessed, the Returning Officer must:

 (a) allocate a number to the application; and

 (b) record the same number on the postal voter card issued to the applicant; and

 (c) post to the applicant:

 (i) a postal voter card attached to an envelope; and

 (ii) a postal ballot‑paper; and

 (iii) an outer envelope addressed to the Returning Officer.

 (2) If the Returning Officer receives an application after the last mail clearance at the nearest post office on the last Thursday before polling day, the Returning Officer must not post a postal voter card or ballot‑paper to the applicant.

 (3) Before posting a postal voter card and postal ballot paper, the top of the front of the ballot paper must be marked with the initials of the polling official who issued the ballot paper, or caused it to be issued.