The Parish and Community Meetings (Polls) Rules 1987

Directions as to printing the ballot paper

1.  Nothing is to be printed on the ballot paper except in accordance with these directions.

2.  So far as practicable, the following arrangements shall be observed in the printing of the ballot paper:–

(a) no word shall be printed on the face except the direction “VOTE FOR ... ... ... ...CANDIDATE(S) ONLY” and the particulars of the candidates;

(b) no rule shall be printed on the face except the horizontal rule separating the direction mentioned in paragraph (a) above from the particulars of the candidates and the horizontal rules separating the particulars of the candidates from one another and the vertical rules separating those particulars from the numbers on the left-hand side and the spaces on the right where the vote is to be marked;

(c) the whole space between the top and the bottom of the paper shall be equally divided between the direction mentioned in paragraph (a) above and each of the candidates by the horizontal rules mentioned in paragraph (b) above.

3.  The direction mentioned in paragraph 2(a) above shall be printed in large capitals.

4.  The surname of each candidate shall in all cases be printed by itself in large capitals, and his full particulars shall be set out below it and shall be printed in ordinary type except that small capitals shall be used–

(a) if his surname is the same as another candidate's, for his other names; and

(b) if his other names are also the same as the other candidate's, either for his home address or for his description unless each of them is the same as that of another candidate with the same surname and other names.

5.  The number on the back of the ballot paper shall be printed in small characters.