Rule 55 Separation of ballot papers etc. where returning officer is co-ordinating returning officerI1

This rule applies where the returning officer is the co-ordinating returning officer.

The returning officer must, in the presence of the community counting agents and the other counting agents, open each ballot box, take out the ballot papers, count them and record separately the number of ballot papers used in each election.

The returning officer must not count any tendered ballot paper.

Where separate ballot boxes were used at the poll, no vote for a candidate at the community election is to be treated as invalid because it was placed in the ballot box intended for use at a relevant election.

The returning officer must, in the presence of the community election agents (if appointed) and the other election agents, verify each ballot paper account by comparing it with the number of ballot papers recorded, the unused and spoilt ballot papers in the returning officer’s possession and the tendered votes list (opening and resealing the packets containing the unused and spoilt ballot papers and tendered votes list).

The returning officer must prepare a statement as to the result of the verification and give a copy of the statement to any community election agent (if appointed), and to any other election agent, who requests it.

Where a candidate at the community election has not appointed an election agent—

The returning officer must also—

The returning officer must then—

The returning officer must then deliver or cause to be delivered to the returning officer for each relevant election—

The returning officer must then mix together all the ballot papers used at the community election.