The European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 2004

Equipment of polling stations

30.—(1) The local returning officer shall provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as in the local returning officer’s opinion may be necessary.

(2) Every ballot box shall be so constructed that the ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, the seal being broken.

(3) The local returning officer shall provide each polling station with—

(a) materials to enable voters to mark the ballot papers;

(b) instruments for stamping on them the official mark;

(c) copies of the register of electors or such part of it as contains the names of the electors allotted to the station;

(d) the parts of any special lists prepared for the election corresponding to the register of electors or the part of it provided under sub-paragraph (c).

(4) The local returning officer shall also provide each polling station with—

(a) at least one large version of the ballot paper which shall be displayed inside the polling station for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted; and

(b) a device of such description as is set out in sub-paragraph (9) for enabling voters who are blind or partially-sighted to vote without any need for assistance from the presiding officer or any companion (within the meaning of rule 40(1)).

(5) A notice in the form in the Appendix, giving directions for the guidance of the voters in voting, shall be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside every polling station.

(6) The local returning officer may also provide such notices in Braille or in languages other than English that are an accurate translation of the notice referred to in paragraph (5) as he considers appropriate, which may be exhibited inside and outside every polling station.

(7) In every compartment of every polling station there shall be exhibited the notice “Put only one cross on the ballot paper. Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may not be counted”.

(8) Where proof has been given to the returning officer’s satisfaction of the death of a candidate on a registered party’s list or an individual candidate, he shall request each local returning officer to provide each presiding officer with a sufficient number of notices to this effect for display in every compartment of every polling station.

(9) The device referred to in paragraph (4)(b) must—

(a) allow a ballot a paper to be inserted into and removed from or attached to and detached from the device, easily and without damage to the paper;

(b) keep the ballot paper firmly in place during use;

(c) provide suitable means for the voter to—

(i) identify the spaces on the ballot paper on which he may mark his vote;

(ii) identify the registered party or individual candidate to which each such space refers; and

(iii) mark his vote on the space he has chosen.