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Paragraph 16 Opening of postal voters' ballot box

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

Each postal voters' ballot box shall be opened by the constituency returning officer in the presence of the agents.

(2)

So long as the constituency returning officer ensures that there is at least one postal voters' ballot box for the reception of covering envelopes up to the time of the close of the poll, the other postal voters' ballot boxes may previously be opened by him.

(3)

The constituency returning officer shall give each—

(a)

candidate in the case of a constituency election, and

(b)

individual candidate and election agent for a group of party list candidates in the case of a regional election,

not less than 48 hours' notice in writing of the time and place of the opening of each postal voters' ballot box and the envelopes contained in it and of the number of agents such person may appoint under paragraph 5(2) to be present at each opening.

(4)

The constituency returning officer shall provide a ballot box as a receptacle for postal ballot papers (referred to as “the receptacle for postal ballot papers”) and every such ballot box shall be shown open and empty to the agents present and shall then be sealed with the seal of the constituency returning officer and the seals of such of the agents as desire to affix their seals in such manner as to prevent its being opened without breaking the seal.

(5)

Every ballot box referred to in sub-paragraph (4) shall be marked “postal voters' ballot papers” and with the name—

(a)

of the Assembly constituency and electoral region for which the elections are held at an ordinary election where a postal voter is entitled to give two votes, or

(b)

where paragraph (a) does not apply, of the Assembly constituency or electoral region for which the election is held (and, in the case of a regional election, the name of the Assembly constituency for which the constituency returning officer is returning officer).

(6)

The constituency returning officer shall make provision for the safe custody of every such ballot box.

(7)

The ballot box shall be opened at the counting of the votes under paragraph 50 of Schedule 5.