{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-regional-assembly-and-local-government-referendums-order-2004/schedule-1/paragraph-46",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-regional-assembly-and-local-government-referendums-order-2004/schedule-1/paragraph-46.json",
  "legislation": "ukdsi/2004/0110494687",
  "legislation_title": "The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-regional-assembly-and-local-government-referendums-order-2004",
  "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/46",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "46",
  "heading": "Return to the voter and rejection of invalid unsigned security statements",
  "text": "(1) This rule applies where a covering envelope contains a security statement which is invalid only because it is not signed by the voter.\n(2) Where the security statement was taken from a preliminary ballot box which was opened before 12 noon on the second day before the date of the referendum, the counting officer shall return the security statement to the voter to whom it was issued.\n(3) Where the security statement was taken from a preliminary ballot box which was opened at 12 noon or afterwards on the second day before the date of the referendum, the counting officer may return it to the voter to whom it was issued but shall not if he is of the view that it is not reasonably possible to return the security statement to the voter in sufficient time for the voter to respond before the close of the poll.\n(4) A security statement returned under paragraphs (1) or (2)—\n(a) shall be returned to the address to which it was sent originally, either by post or by causing it to be delivered by hand; and\n(b) shall be accompanied by a covering envelope and information explaining that if any vote cast by the voter is to be counted, the security statement must be signed and returned to the counting officer or an assistance and delivery point before the close of the poll.\n(5) Any ballot paper envelope, or if there is no such envelope, ballot paper bearing the same ballot number as the security statement returned to the voter, shall be marked “provisionally rejected” and placed in the receptacle for rejected votes.\n(6) Where a security statement is taken from a preliminary ballot box at 12 noon or afterwards on the second day before the date of the referendum and the counting officer decides not to return it to the voter, the counting officer shall—\n(a) mark the security statement “rejected”;\n(b) open the ballot paper envelope (if any);\n(c) if the ballot paper (if any) has the same ballot number as the security statement, attach it to the security statement and envelope (if any) and place it in the receptacle for rejected votes;\n(d) if the ballot paper (if any) does not have the same ballot number as the security statement the counting officer shall—\n(i) mark the ballot paper “provisionally rejected” and place it in the receptacle for rejected votes; and\n(ii) attach the envelope (if any) to the security statement and place both documents in the receptacle for rejected votes.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2004/0110494687/schedule/1/paragraph/46",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T15:23:43.165722+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}