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Paragraph 27B Rejection of postal voting documents handed in at a polling stationF1F2

(1)

A relevant officer must reject—

(a)

all postal voting documents handed in by P where P fails to fully complete the return of postal voting documents form with the required information;

(b)

all postal voting documents handed in by P other than P’s own postal voting documents where the relevant officer has reasonable cause to suspect that the documents are handed in on behalf of more than five other named voters; and

(c)

a postal voting document handed in by P or all postal voting documents handed in together by P (other than P’s own postal voting documents) where the relevant officer has reasonable cause to suspect that, taking that document or those documents together with any postal voting documents handed in by P on any previous occasion in respect of the same referendum, or in respect of an election or referendum for which the day of poll is the same as the referendum to which the documents relate (whether at a polling station or to the counting officer and disregarding any that were rejected), P has handed in postal voting documents on behalf of more than five other named voters.

(2)

Where P hands in one or more proxy postal ballot papers completed by P as proxy for another named voter, for “five” in paragraphs (1)(b) and (c), substitute the number that is five minus the number of proxy postal ballot papers P hands in.

(3)

A relevant officer may reject a postal voting document handed in by P where the relevant officer knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that, in handing in the document, P is committing an offence under section 112A of the 1983 Act.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Sch. 7 inserted (6.4.2013) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/798), regs. 1, 7, Sch. 2

F2

Sch. 7 rules 27A-27D inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Representation of the People (Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1225), reg. 9(5)(c)

Notes on Part 5

Modifications

C1

Sch. 7 Pt. 5 excluded (22.9.2020) by The Postponed Elections and Referendums (Coronavirus) and Policy Development Grants (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/926), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(b), 6(1)(2)(4)