# The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025, Paragraph 23: Procedure in relation to postal voting statements: personal identifier verification

Extent: E+W

(1) This paragraph applies in the circumstances described in paragraph 21(3) (covering envelope contains a postal voting statement).
(2) The returning officer must be satisfied that the postal voting statement is duly completed, and as part of that process must compare the date of birth and the signature on the postal voting statement against the date of birth and signature contained in the personal identifiers record relating to the person to whom the postal ballot paper was addressed.
(3) Where the returning officer is not satisfied that the postal voting statement is duly completed, the returning officer must mark the statement with the word “gwrthodwyd” or the word “rejected” or both, attach to it the ballot paper envelope, or if there is no envelope but there is a ballot paper, the ballot paper, and subject to sub-paragraph (5), place it in the receptacle for rejected votes (verification procedure).
(4) Where the returning officer is not satisfied that the postal voting statement is duly completed but there is neither a ballot paper envelope nor a ballot paper, the returning officer must, subject to sub-paragraph (5), place the statement as it is in the receptacle for rejected votes (verification procedure).
(5) Before placing any postal voting statement in the receptacle for rejected votes (verification procedure), the returning officer must—
(a) show it to any agents present,
(b) permit them to view the entries in the personal identifiers record which relate to the person to whom the postal voting statement was addressed, and
(c) if any of them object to the returning officer’s decision, add the words “gwrthwynebwyd y gwrthodiad” or the words “rejection objected to” or both, to the postal voting statement.
(6) Where the returning officer is satisfied that the postal voting statement is duly completed, the returning officer must examine the number, or numbers, on the postal voting statement against the number, or numbers, on the ballot paper envelope and, where they are the same, the returning officer must place—
(a) the statement in the receptacle for postal voting statements (verification procedure);
(b) the ballot paper envelope in the receptacle for ballot paper envelopes.
(7) The returning officer must open the ballot paper envelope where—
(a) the number on a valid postal voting statement is not the same as the number on the ballot paper envelope, or
(b) the envelope has no number on it, or only one number when the postal voting statement has more than one.
(8) Sub-paragraph (9) applies where—
(a) there is a valid postal voting statement but no ballot paper envelope, or
(b) the ballot paper envelope has been opened under sub-paragraph (7) or paragraph 21(4).
(9) In the circumstances described in sub-paragraph (8), the returning officer must place—
(a) in the postal ballot box, any ballot paper the number on which is the same as the number, or one of the numbers, on the valid postal voting statement;
(b) in the receptacle for rejected votes (verification procedure), any other ballot paper, with the postal voting statement attached and marked with the words “gwrthodwyd dros dro” or the words “provisionally rejected” or both;
(c) in the receptacle for rejected votes (verification procedure), any valid postal voting statement marked with the words “gwrthodwyd dros dro” or the words “provisionally rejected” or both, where—
(i) there is no ballot paper, or
(ii) in the case of a statement on which the number of more than one ballot paper appears, there is not a sufficient number of ballot papers and, in such a case, the returning officer must mark the statement to indicate which ballot paper is missing;
(d) in the receptacle for postal voting statements (verification procedure), any valid statement not disposed of under paragraph (b) or (c) of this sub-paragraph.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2025/864/schedule/2/paragraph/23 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/senedd-cymru-representation-of-the-people-order-2025/schedule-2/paragraph-23
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.