The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017

Voting procedure

37.—(1) A ballot paper must be delivered to a voter who applies for one, and immediately before delivery—

(a) the number and (unless paragraph (2) applies) name of the elector as stated in the copy of the register of electors must be called out,

(b) the number of the elector must be marked on the list mentioned in rule 28(4)(d) beside the number of the ballot paper to be issued to the elector,

(c) a mark must be placed in the copy of the register of electors against the number of the elector to note that a ballot paper has been received but without showing the particular ballot paper which has been received, and

(d) in the case of a person applying for a ballot paper as proxy, a mark must also be placed against his name in the list of proxies.

(2) In the case of an elector who has an anonymous entry, the elector (E) must show the presiding officer E’s official poll card and only E’s number shall be called out in pursuance of paragraph (1)(a).

(3) In the case of an elector who is added to the register in pursuance of a notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act, paragraph (1) is modified as follows

(a) in sub-paragraph (a), for “copy of the register of electors” substitute “copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act”,

(b) in sub-paragraph (c), for “in the register of electors” substitute “on the copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act”.

(4) The voter, on receiving the ballot paper, must forthwith proceed into one of the compartments in the polling station and there secretly mark the paper and fold it up so as to conceal the vote, and must then show to the presiding officer the back of the paper, so as to disclose the number and other unique identifying mark, and put the ballot paper so folded up into the ballot box in the presiding officer’s presence.

(5) The voter must vote without undue delay, and must leave the polling station as soon as the voter’s ballot paper has been put into the ballot box.

(6) The same copy of the register of electors which is used under paragraph (1) for the combined authority mayoral election or, where paragraph (3) applies, the same copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) in the 1983 Act, may be used for each relevant election or referendum, and—

(a) one mark may be placed in that copy of the register or on that notice under paragraph (1)(c) or in the list of proxies under paragraph (1)(d) to denote that a ballot paper has been issued in respect of each election or referendum, but

(b) where a ballot paper has not been issued in respect of a relevant election or referendum, a different mark must be placed in the copy of that register or, as the case may be, on that notice or in that list so as to identify each election or referendum in respect of which a ballot paper was issued.

(7) A voter who at the close of the poll is in the polling station, or in a queue outside the polling station, for the purposes of voting shall (despite the close of the poll) be entitled to apply for a ballot paper under paragraph (1), and these rules apply in relation to such a voter accordingly.