In the 1983 Act, in Part 5, before section 200 (public notices and declarations) insert—
(1)Subsections (2) and (3) below apply to any document which under or by virtue of this Act is required or authorised to be given to voters or displayed in any place for the purposes of a parliamentary or local government election.
(2)The person who is required or authorised to give or display the document must, as he thinks appropriate, give or display or otherwise make available in such form as he thinks appropriate—
(a)the document in Braille;
(b)the document in languages other than English;
(c)graphical representations of the information contained in the document;
(d)other means of making the information contained in the document accessible to persons who might not otherwise have reasonable access to the information.
(3)The person required or authorised to give or display the document must also, as he thinks appropriate, make available the information contained in the document in such audible form as he thinks appropriate.
(4)Subsections (2) and (3) above do not apply to—
(a)the nomination paper;
(b)the ballot paper.
(5)The returning officer at a parliamentary election or a local government election may cause to be displayed at every polling station in the election an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper.
(6)The sample copy mentioned in subsection (5) above—
(a)in the case of a parliamentary election or a local government election where only one candidate is to be elected, must have printed the words “VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE ONLY” both at the top and immediately below the list of candidates,
(b)in the case of a local government election where more than one candidate is to be elected, must have printed the words “VOTE FOR NO MORE THAN [here insert the maximum number of candidates to be elected] CANDIDATES” both at the top and immediately below the list of candidates, and
(c)in each case, below the second occurrence of those words, may include a translation of those words into such other languages as the returning officer thinks appropriate.
(7)The returning officer at a parliamentary election or a local government election must provide at every polling station in the election an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of voters who are partially sighted.
(8)The sample copy mentioned in subsection (7) above must be clearly marked as a specimen provided only for the guidance of voters.
(9)In the application of subsection (2)(b) to Northern Ireland any question as to whether a person is to give or display or otherwise make available a document in a language other than English is to be decided by the returning officer.
(10)This section does not apply to a local government election in Scotland.”
Commencement Information
I1S. 36 wholly in force at 1.7.2008; s. 36 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 77; s. 36 in force for E.W.S. at 1.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(q) (subject to Sch. 2); s. 36 in force for N.I. at 1.7.2008 by S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2(2), 4(o)
In Schedule 1 to the 1983 Act, for rule 24 (postal ballot papers) substitute—
“24(1)The returning officer shall, in accordance with regulations, issue to those entitled to vote by post—
(a)a ballot paper;
(b)at an election held in England and Wales or Scotland, a postal voting statement in the prescribed form;
(c)at an election held in Northern Ireland, a declaration of identity in the prescribed form;
together with such envelopes for their return as may be prescribed.
(2)The returning officer must also issue to those entitled to vote by post such information as he thinks appropriate about how to obtain—
(a)translations into languages other than English of any directions to or guidance for voters sent with the ballot paper;
(b)a translation into Braille of such directions or guidance;
(c)graphical representations of such directions or guidance;
(d)the directions or guidance in any other form (including any audible form).
(3)The prescribed form shall include provision for the form to be signed and for stating the date of birth of the elector or proxy (as the case may be).
(4)In the case of a ballot paper issued to a person resident in the United Kingdom, the returning officer must ensure that the return of the ballot paper and postal voting statement or declaration of identity is free of charge to the voter.
(5)In any other case, regulations may provide that the returning officer must so ensure.”
Commencement Information
I2S. 37 wholly in force at 14.5.2008; s. 37 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 77; s. 37 in force for E.W.S. at 1.1.2007 by S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(r) (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 2); s. 37 in force for N.I. at 14.5.2008 by S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2(1), 3(d)