{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/schedule-1/paragraph-41",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/schedule-1/paragraph-41.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1983/2",
  "legislation_title": "Representation of the People Act 1983",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983",
  "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/41",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "41",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "A voter who has inadvertently dealt with his ballot paper in such manner that it cannot be conveniently used as a ballot paper may, on delivering it to the presiding officer and proving to his satisfaction the fact of the inadvertence, obtain another ballot paper in the place of the ballot paper so delivered (in these rules referred to as “a spoilt ballot paper”), and the spoilt ballot paper shall be immediately cancelled.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rules 41, 42 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rules 41, 42 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 41 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(5)-(8), Sch. 1Sch. 1 rule 41 applied (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 41 applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 61, s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 2Sch. 1 rule 41 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "repealed",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2006/22",
      "affecting_title": "Electoral Administration Act 2006"
    },
    {
      "type": "modified",
      "affecting": "ukpga/1985/50",
      "affecting_title": "Representation of the People Act 1985"
    },
    {
      "type": "modified",
      "affecting": "ukpga/1985/50",
      "affecting_title": "Representation of the People Act 1985"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/schedule/1/paragraph/41",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-07T03:33:48.049414+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."
}