{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/senedd-cymru-representation-of-the-people-order-2025/schedule-5/rule-37",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/senedd-cymru-representation-of-the-people-order-2025/schedule-5/rule-37.json",
  "legislation": "wsi/2025/864",
  "legislation_title": "The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/senedd-cymru-representation-of-the-people-order-2025",
  "path": "schedule/5/rule/37",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "37",
  "heading": "Equipment of polling station",
  "text": "(1) The returning officer must provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as the returning officer considers necessary.\n(2) Each ballot box must be constructed so that ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, without the seal being broken.\n(3) The returning officer must provide the presiding officer at each polling station with—\n(a) materials to enable voters to mark the ballot papers,\n(b) copies of the relevant register of electors,\n(c) copies of any notices issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act so far as relating to the relevant register of electors (notices in respect of alterations to the register),\n(d) copies of the parts of any lists of persons entitled to vote by post or by proxy that correspond to the relevant register of electors, and\n(e) a list (“the polling station’s corresponding number list”) consisting of that part of Part 2 of the corresponding number list prepared under rule 27 that contains the numbers, but not the other unique identifying marks, corresponding to those on the ballot papers provided to the presiding officer under paragraph (1).\n(4) The documents provided in accordance with paragraph (3)(b), (d) and (e) may be provided in paper form or electronic form.\n(5) In paragraph (3), “the relevant register of electors” means the register of electors for the constituency or such part of it as contains the entries relating to the electors allotted to the polling station.\n(6) The returning officer must cause to be displayed at each polling station an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper which complies with article 138(4) and (6).\n(7) The returning officer must also provide each polling station with—\n(a) an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper which complies with article 138(6), for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted, and\n(b) such equipment as it is reasonable to provide for the purposes of enabling, or making it easier for, relevant persons to vote independently in the manner directed by rule 46, including in relation to voting secretly.\n(8) In this rule, “relevant persons” means persons who find it difficult or impossible to vote in the manner directed by rule 46 because of—\n(a) severe sight impairment or partial sight, or\n(b) another disability.\n(9) The sample copy of the ballot paper required to be displayed and provided by paragraphs (6) and (7)(a) must be clearly marked as specimen and provided only for the guidance of voters.\n(10) The returning officer must also cause a notice in form 19 set out in Welsh and English in Schedule 10, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting, to be displayed—\n(a) inside each polling station, but outside the voting compartments, and\n(b) outside each polling station.\n(11) The appropriate statement of parties and persons nominated referred to in rule 17 must be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside every polling station.\n(12) A notice containing the following information must be exhibited inside each voting compartment in each polling station—\n“Pleidleisiwch unwaith yn unig ar y papur pleidleisio. Peidiwch â rhoi unrhyw farc arall ar y papur pleidleisio, neu mae’n bosibl na chaiff eich pleidlais ei chyfrif.\nVote only once on the ballot paper. Put no other mark on the ballot paper or your vote may not be counted.”\n(13) The Electoral Commission must give guidance to returning officers in relation to the duty imposed by paragraph (7)(b).\n(14) Before giving guidance under paragraph (13), the Electoral Commission must consult such persons, including bodies representing the interests of relevant persons, as it considers appropriate.\n(15) In performing the duty imposed by paragraph (7)(b), a returning officer must have regard to guidance given under paragraph (13).",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 5 rule 37(7)(b) substituted (24.3.2026) by The Representation of the People (Absent Voting and Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/91), regs. 1(2), 43(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 5 rule 37 in force at 18.7.2025, see art. 1(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Section 13B was inserted by paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2). Subsequent amendments have been made to section 13(b) which are not relevant here."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2025/864/schedule/5/rule/37",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-14T03:35:52.324656+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."
}