{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-assembly-for-wales-representation-of-the-people-order-2003/schedule-3/paragraph-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-assembly-for-wales-representation-of-the-people-order-2003/schedule-3/paragraph-18.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2003/284",
  "legislation_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-assembly-for-wales-representation-of-the-people-order-2003",
  "path": "schedule/3/paragraph/18",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Receipt of covering envelope",
  "text": "(1) The constituency returning officer shall, immediately on receipt (whether by hand or by post) of a covering envelope (or an envelope which is stated to include a postal vote) before the close of the poll, place it unopened in a postal voters' ballot box.\n(2) Where an envelope, other than a covering envelope issued by the constituency returning officer—\n(a) has been opened, and\n(b) contains a ballot paper envelope, declaration of identity or ballot papers,\nthe first-mentioned envelope together with its contents, shall be placed in a postal voters' ballot box.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
    },
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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    {
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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    {
      "type": "substituted",
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
    },
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2006/884",
      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
    },
    {
      "type": "substituted",
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    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2006/884",
      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2006/884",
      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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    {
      "type": "words omitted",
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    },
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      "affecting": "uksi/2006/884",
      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
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    {
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      "affecting": "uksi/2006/884",
      "affecting_title": "The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2006"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/284/schedule/3/paragraph/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T06:32:23.668590+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."
}