Rule 32 Equipment of polling stationsI1

England and Wales

(1)

The returning officer must provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as the returning officer considers necessary.

(2)

Each ballot box must be constructed so that ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, without the seal being broken.

(3)

The returning officer must provide each polling station with—

(a)

materials to enable voters to mark the ballot papers,

(b)

copies of the relevant register of electors,

(c)

copies of any notices issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act^f1 so far as relating to the relevant register of electors,

(d)

copies of the parts of any lists of persons entitled to vote by post or by proxy that correspond to the relevant register of electors, and

(e)

a list (“the polling station’s corresponding number list”) consisting of that part of Part 2 of the corresponding number list prepared under rule 23 that contains the numbers, but not the other unique identifying marks, corresponding to those on the ballot papers provided to the presiding officer under paragraph (1).

F1(3A)

The documents provided in accordance with paragraph (3)(b), (d) and (e) may be provided in paper form or electronic form.

(4)

In paragraph (3), “the relevant register of electors” means the register of electors for the electoral area or such part of it as contains the entries relating to the electors allotted to the polling station.

(5)

The returning officer must cause to be displayed at each polling station an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper.

(6)

The returning officer must also provide each polling station with—

(a)

an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted, and

F2(b)

such equipment as it is reasonable to provide for the purposes of enabling, or making it easier for, relevant persons to vote independently in the manner directed by rule 42, including in relation to voting secretly.

F3(6A)

In this rule, “relevant persons” means persons who find it difficult or impossible to vote in the manner directed by rule 42 because of—

(a)

severe sight impairment or partial sight, or

(b)

other disability.

(7)

The sample copy of the ballot paper required to be displayed and provided by paragraphs (5) and (6)(a) must be clearly marked as specimen and provided only for the guidance of voters.

F4(8)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9)

The returning officer must also cause a notice in the form in Appendix 6, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting, to be displayed—

(a)

inside each polling station (but outside the voting compartments), and

(b)

outside each polling station.

(10)

The returning officer may also provide copies of the notice in Braille or in such languages other than English and Welsh as the returning officer considers appropriate.

(11)

A notice containing the following information must be exhibited inside each voting compartment in each polling station—

(a)

where only one councillor is to be elected, an instruction to the voter to vote only once by putting a cross [X] in the F5voting box next to their choice;

(b)

where more than one councillor is to be elected, an instruction to the voter to vote for no more than the number to be elected by putting a cross [X] in the F6voting box next to each of their choices;

(c)

a warning to the voter to put no other mark on the ballot paper or their vote may not count.

F7(12)

The Electoral Commission must give guidance to returning officers in relation to the duty imposed by paragraph (6)(b).

(13)

Before giving guidance under paragraph (12), the Electoral Commission must consult such persons, including bodies representing the interests of relevant persons, as it considers appropriate.

(14)

In performing the duty imposed by paragraph (6)(b), a returning officer must have regard to guidance given under paragraph (12).

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Sch. 1 rule 32(3A) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(a) (with rule 1(3))
F2: Sch. 1 rule 32(6)(b) substituted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(b) (with rule 1(3))
F3: Sch. 1 rule 32(6A) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(c) (with rule 1(3))
F4: Sch. 1 rule 32(8) omitted (13.3.2026) by virtue of The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(d) (with rule 1(3))
F5: Words in Sch. 1 rule 32(11)(a) substituted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(e) (with rule 1(3))
F6: Words in Sch. 1 rule 32(11)(b) substituted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(f) (with rule 1(3))
F7: Sch. 1 rule 32(12)-(14) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 68(g) (with rule 1(3))

Commencement

I1: Sch. 1 rule 32 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1

Footnotes

f1: Sections 13 to 13B of the 1983 Act were substituted for section 13 of that Act by paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000. Section 13B(3B) and (3D) were inserted by section 11(4) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006.