Paragraph 46B Rejection of postal voting documents handed in to the returning officerF1
The relevant officer must reject—
all postal voting documents handed in by P in accordance with paragraph 43(2) where P fails to fully complete the return of postal voting documents form with the required information;
all postal voting documents handed in by P in accordance with paragraph 43(2) 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 electors;
a postal voting document handed in by P or all postal voting documents handed in together by P in accordance with paragraph 43(2) (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 election or in respect of an election in England for which the day of poll is the same as the election to which the documents relate (whether to a polling station or to the returning officer and disregarding any that were rejected), P has handed in postal voting documents on behalf of more than five other electors.
Where P hands in one or more proxy postal ballot papers completed by P as proxy for another elector, for “five” in sub-paragraphs (1)(b) and (c), substitute the number that is five minus the number of proxy postal ballot papers P hands in.
The 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 paragraph 9A.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
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Sch. 2 paras. 46A-46E 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), regs. 1(2), 8(6)(g)