{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/electoral-law-act-northern-ireland-1962/schedule-5/paragraph-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/electoral-law-act-northern-ireland-1962/schedule-5/paragraph-21.json",
  "legislation": "apni/1962/14",
  "legislation_title": "Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/electoral-law-act-northern-ireland-1962",
  "path": "schedule/5/paragraph/21",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "Postal ballot papers",
  "text": "(1) The returning officer shall as soon as practicable send to those entitled to vote by post, in accordance with Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, a ballot paper and a declaration of identity in the relevant form prescribed in the Appendix, together with an envelope for their return.\n(2) The declaration of identity shall be witnessed in accordance with paragraph 17A of Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.\n(3) The returning officer must also send to those entitled to vote by post such information as the returning officer thinks appropriate about how to obtain—\n(a) translations into languages other than English of any directions to or guidance for voters sent with the ballot paper;\n(b) a translation into Braille of such directions or guidance;\n(c) graphical representations of such directions or guidance;\n(d) the directions or guidance in any other form (including any audible form).\n(4) The returning officer must ensure that the return of the ballot paper and the declaration of identity is free of charge to the voter.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 5 rule 21(1) substituted (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 6(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "2001 c. 7"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 5 rule 21(2) substituted (20.3.2015) by The Local Elections (Forms) (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/566), arts. 1(2), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Sch. 5 rule 21(3)(4) inserted (16.12.2010) by Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2977), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. 1 para. 58 (with art. 1(3))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 5 rule 21(1) excluded (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 10"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 5 rule 21(1) excluded in part (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 11"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1962/14/schedule/5/paragraph/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T21:32:59.497504+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."
}