Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962

Equipment of polling stations N.I.

26 (1) The returning officer shall provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as in the 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(2) Every ballot box shall be so constructed that the ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked [F1 or, where the box has no lock, the seal being broken].

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

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

F2 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) copies of the register of electors or such part of it as contains the [F3 entries relating to] the electors allotted to the station;

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

[F4 (e) a list consisting of that part of the list prepared under rule 16A which contains the numbers (but not the other unique identifying marks) corresponding to those on the ballot papers provided to the presiding officer of the polling station.]

[F5 (f) the lists prepared for the polling station under rule 16B.]

[F6 (3ZA) The reference in paragraph (3)(c) to the copies of the register of electors includes a reference to copies of any notices issued in respect of alterations to the register under section 13BA(9) of the 1983 Act.

(3ZB) In this Schedule “section 13BA(9) of the 1983 Act” means section 13BA(9) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as applied by Schedule 1 to the Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989).]

[F7 (3ZC) Subject to paragraph (3ZD), the list provided under paragraph (3)(e) must be in the form 8A in the Appendix.

(3ZD) Where the poll at a local election is to be taken with the poll at an election under subsection (1) or (2) of section 15 of the Representation of the People Act 1985, the list provided under paragraph (3)(e) must be in the form 8B in the Appendix.

(3ZE) Where proof has been given to the returning officer's satisfaction of the death of a candidate named in the ballot paper as an independent candidate (within the meaning of rule 61), the returning officer must provide each presiding officer with sufficient number of notices informing the voters that the candidate has died for display in every compartment of every polling station.]

[F8 (3A) The 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;

[F9 (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 34 (including in relation to voting secretly).]]

[F10 (3B) In this rule, “relevant persons” means persons who find it difficult or impossible to vote in the manner directed by rule 34 because of—

(a) blindness or partial sight, or

(b) another disability.

(3C) The Electoral Commission must give guidance to returning officers in relation to the duty imposed by paragraph (3A)(b).

(3D) Before giving guidance under paragraph (3C), the Commission must consult such persons, including bodies representing the interests of relevant persons, as they consider appropriate.

(3E) In performing the duty imposed by paragraph (3A)(b), a returning officer must have regard to guidance given under paragraph (3C).]

(4) 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 outside every polling station and in every compartment of every polling station.

[F11 (4A) The notice referred to in paragraph (4)—

(a) must clearly indicate the election to which it relates;

(b) must be printed on paper of the same colour as the ballot papers (other than tendered ballot papers or tendered postal ballot papers) used at the election to which it relates.]

F12 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1 Words in Sch. 5 rule 26(2) inserted (16.12.2010) by Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2977), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. 1 para. 60(2) (with art. 1(3))

F2 Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(b) omitted (16.12.2010) by virtue of Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2977), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. 1 para. 60(3) (with art. 1(3))

F3 Words in Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(c) substituted (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 6(9)

F4 Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(e) inserted (16.12.2010) by Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2977), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. 1 para. 60(4) (with art. 1(3))

F5 Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(f) inserted (31.1.2024) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 6 para. 12(2); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 4(e)(iv) (with Sch. para. 3)

F6 Sch. 5 rule 26(3ZA)(3ZB) inserted (14.5.2008) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31(3), Sch. 4 para. 1(2); S.I. 2008/1318, art. 2(2)(b)

F7 Sch. 5 rule 26(3ZC)-(3ZE) inserted (16.12.2010) by Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2977), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. 1 para. 60(5) (with art. 1(3))

F8 SI 2001/417

F9 Sch. 5 rule 26(3A)(b) substituted (29.12.2022) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 6 para. 12(3); S.I. 2022/1270, reg. 2(c)(ii)(bb) (with reg. 3)

F10 Sch. 5 rule 26(3B)-(3E) inserted (24.11.2022 for specified purposes, 29.12.2022 in so far as not already in force) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 6 para. 12(4); S.I. 2022/1226, reg. 2(d)(ii); S.I. 2022/1270, reg. 2(c)(ii)(cc) (with reg. 3)

F11 Sch. 5 rule 26(4A) inserted by Elections Act 2001 (c. 7), Sch. para. 19 (as amended (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 9(5))

F12 Sch. 5 rule 26(5)-(10) omitted (29.12.2022) by virtue of Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 6 para. 12(5); S.I. 2022/1270, reg. 2(c)(ii)(dd) (with reg. 3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 5 rule 26(3ZC) excluded (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 16

C2 Sch. 5 rule 26(4) excluded (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 18