Paragraph 49 Admission to polling stationF1

(1)

The presiding officer must exclude all persons from the polling station except—

(a)

named voters;

(b)

persons under the age of 18 who accompany named voters to the polling station;

(F2ba)

persons aged 18 or over returning a postal ballot paper or postal voting statement by hand in accordance with rule 64(4)(b);

(c)

the polling observers appointed to attend at the polling station;

(d)

the clerks appointed to attend at the polling station;

(e)

persons who are entitled to attend by virtue of any of sections 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000;

(f)

the constables on duty; and

(g)

the companions of named voters with disabilities.

(2)

The presiding officer must regulate the total number of named voters and persons under the age of 18 who accompany them to be admitted to the polling station at the same time.

(3)

A constable or person employed by a counting officer must not be admitted to vote in person elsewhere than at the polling station allotted to them under these Rules, except on production and surrender of a certificate as to their employment which must be in the form set out in Form 8 in the Appendix, or a form to like effect, and signed by an officer of police of or above the rank of inspector or by the counting officer by whom the person is employed, as the case may be.

(4)

Any certificate surrendered under this rule must forthwith be cancelled.

(F35)

In this rule, a reference to a constable includes a person designated as a community support officer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for employees).

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 rule 49(1)(ba) 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)(h)
F3: Sch. 7 rule 49(5) inserted (6.4.2014) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/333), regs. 1(6), 29 (with reg. 1(7))