Paragraph 21 Opening of covering envelopesI1

When a postal voters’ ballot box is opened, the returning officer must count and record the number of covering envelopes, including any envelope which is stated to include a postal vote and any envelope described in paragraph 19(2).

The returning officer must open separately each covering envelope, including an envelope described in paragraph 19(2).

The procedure in paragraph 23 applies where a covering envelope, including an envelope described in paragraph 19(2), contains a postal voting statement.

Where the covering envelope does not contain the postal voting statement separately, the returning officer must open the ballot paper envelope to ascertain whether the postal voting statement is inside.

Where a covering envelope does not contain a postal voting statement, whether separately or not, the returning officer must mark the covering envelope with the words “gwrthodwyd dros dro” or the words “provisionally rejected” or both, attach its contents, if any, and place it in the receptacle for rejected votes.

In carrying out the procedures in this paragraph and paragraphs 23 to 27 the returning officer and the returning officer’s staff—

Where an envelope opened in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) contains a postal voting statement, the returning officer must place a mark in the marked copy of the postal voters list or proxy postal voters list in a place corresponding to the number of the elector to denote that a postal vote has been returned.

A mark made under sub-paragraph (7) must be distinguishable from and must not obscure the mark made under paragraph 9.

As soon as practicable after the last covering envelope has been opened, the returning officer must make up into a packet the copies of the marked postal voters list and proxy postal voters list that have been marked in accordance with sub-paragraph (7), and must seal the packet.