Regulation 33 Daily verification and storage

(1)

The petition officer must ensure that at the end of each day for which the petition is available for signing—

(a)

the seal of the ballot box is broken and a tally of the number of signing sheets removed from the ballot box is made against the number of sheets that were delivered by the petition clerk that day under regulation 28 (signing procedure: England and Wales and Scotland) or regulation 29 (signing procedure: Northern Ireland); and

(b)

the signing sheet account for that day is completed (“daily signing sheet account”) showing the number of signing sheets delivered that day and accounting for them under the heads of—

(i)

signing sheets delivered and accounted for;

(ii)

signing sheets delivered and not accounted for;

(iii)

spoilt signing sheets; and

(iv)

tendered signing sheets.

(2)

The petition officer may direct the petition clerk to—

(a)

undertake the daily verification procedure prescribed in paragraph (1) (“daily verification procedure”); or

(b)

arrange for the transportation of the ballot box and other materials used for conducting the petition to the petition officer for the daily verification procedure to be undertaken by that officer.

(3)

Where the petition clerk is directed to undertake the daily verification procedure under paragraph (2)(a), the directions must contain a provision that requires another person appointed by the petition officer to be present during the opening of the ballot box and the verification of the signing sheets.

(4)

If an appointed person referred to in paragraph (3) is not available for the purposes of that paragraph then the petition clerk must ensure that the ballot box, daily signing sheet account and any other materials needed for the purposes of undertaking the daily verification procedure, are transported to the petition officer as directed by that officer for that purpose.

(5)

The petition officer must provide directions to the petition clerk about the storage and transportation of materials used for conducting the petition, during the signing period, including in particular—

(a)

unused signing sheets issued by the petition officer for that petition signing place;

(b)

signing sheets delivered during the signing period and placed in the ballot box;

(c)

spoilt signing sheets;

(d)

tendered signing sheets;

(e)

the daily signing sheet accounts;

(f)

the corresponding number lists.

(6)

Where the petition officer receives any signing sheets and other materials by virtue of paragraph (2)(b) or (4), subject to paragraph (7) that officer must ensure they are kept in a secure place until the end of the signing period.

(7)

Where the petition officer receives any signing sheets and other materials by virtue of paragraph (2)(b) or (4), that officer must ensure that the completed daily sheet account and materials used for conducting the petition are returned to the petition signing place so that the petition is available for signing on the next working day.

(8)

No person may be present during the daily verification procedure other than—

(a)

the petition officer;

(b)

any assistants appointed by the petition officer;

(c)

any petition clerk;

(d)

any representative of the Electoral Commission.