Rule 66 Delivery of documents to registration officer at contested electionsI1

England and Wales

(1)

This rule applies where the returning officer has sealed up the counted and rejected ballot papers under rule 65(2).

(2)

The returning officer must F1securely forward the following documents to the registration officer of the county or county borough council in whose area the election is held—

(a)

the packets of ballot papers in the returning officer’s possession;

(b)

the ballot paper accounts prepared under rule 51(5);

(c)

the statements of rejected ballot papers prepared under rule 60(7);

(d)

the statements as to the result of the verification of the ballot paper accounts prepared under rule 55(6);

(e)

the packets containing the postal voters list and the proxy postal voters list.

(3)

Where the returning officer is also the co-ordinating returning officer, the returning officer must forward the following documents to the registration officer of the county or county borough council in whose area the election is held—

(a)

the following lists and declarations—

(i)

the lists of votes marked by the presiding officer, together with a statement of the number of voters whose votes are marked under the heads “disability” and “unable to read” (see rule 43);

(ii)

the declarations made by the companions of voters with disabilities (see rule 44);

(iii)

the lists of voters with disabilities assisted by companions (see rule 45);

(iv)

the tendered votes lists (see rule 47);

(v)

the lists maintained under rule 49 (correction of errors on the day of the poll);

(b)

the packets containing completed corresponding number lists;

(c)

the packets containing marked copies of the registration records and list of proxies;

(d)

the packets containing certificates surrendered by constables or staff of returning officers under rule 37(4) or (5).

F2(4)

In relation to each packet, the returning officer must provide—

(a)

a description of the contents of the packet,

(b)

the date of election to which the packet relates, and

(c)

the name of the electoral area for which the election was held.

(5)

The registration officer must make arrangements to—

(a)

securely store all documents received in accordance with this rule, and

(b)

prevent any unauthorised access to those documents.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Word in Sch. 2 rule 66(2) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 103(a) (with rule 1(3))
F2: Sch. 2 rule 66(4)(5) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 103(b) (with rule 1(3))

Commencement

I1: Sch. 2 rule 66 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1

Notes on Schedule 2

Modifications

C1: Sch. 2 applied (with modifications) (18.7.2025) by The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/864), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 paras. 26, 29 (with art. 1(4))