Regulation 8 Amendment of regulation 84

Regulation 84^f1 (opening of covering envelopes) is amended as follows.

For paragraph (1) substitute–

“(1)

When a postal voters' ballot box is opened, the returning officer shall count and record the number of covering envelopes (including any envelope which is stated to include a postal vote and any envelope described in regulation 82(2)^f2).

(1A)

He shall set aside for personal identifier verification not less than 20 per cent of the envelopes recorded on that occasion.

(1B)

He shall open separately each covering envelope (including an envelope described in regulation 82(2)).”.

In paragraph (2) for “The procedure in regulation 85 below applies” substitute “The procedure in regulation 85 or, as the case may be, regulation 85A^f3 applies”.

After paragraph (4) insert–

“(4A)

Where–

(a)

an envelope contains the postal voting statement of an elector with an anonymous entry, and

(b)

paragraph (4) does not apply,

the returning officer shall set aside that envelope and its contents for personal identifier verification in accordance with regulation 85A.”.

In paragraph (6) after “envelope” insert “opened in accordance with paragraph (1B)”.