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(2) Every ballot box shall be so constructed that the ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked.

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

[F1 (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).]

[F2 (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;

(b) a device falling within the description in paragraphs (5) to (10) 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 36(1)).]

(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.

[F3 (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) used at the election to which it relates.]

[F2 (5) The device must be capable of being attached firmly to a ballot paper and of being removed from it after use without damage to the paper.

(6) On the left-hand side of the device there shall be tabs of equal size which satisfy the conditions in paragraphs (7) to (10).

(7) The tabs shall be capable of being positioned on the ballot paper so that each one is above one of the spaces to the left of the particulars of the candidates on which the vote is to be marked ( the relevant space).

(8) Each tab shall be numbered so that, when the device is positioned over a ballot paper, the number of each tab corresponds to that of the candidate whose particulars are to the right of the relevant space covered by the tab in question.

(9) Each number on a tab shall be in raised form so that it can be clearly identified by touch.

(10) Each tab shall be capable of being lifted so as to reveal the relevant space and so that there is sufficient room to allow a voter to record his vote on that space.]

F1 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)

F2 SI 2001/417

F3 2001 c. 7