(1)The Chief Counting Officer must, in writing, appoint a counting officer for each local government area.
(2)The Chief Counting Officer must notify the Scottish Ministers of each appointment made under subsection (1).
(3)A counting officer may resign by giving notice in writing to the Chief Counting Officer.
(4)The Chief Counting Officer may, by notice in writing, remove a counting officer from office if—
(a)the Chief Counting Officer is satisfied that the counting officer is for any reason unable to perform the counting officer’s functions, or
(b)the counting officer fails to comply with a direction given or requirement imposed by the Chief Counting Officer.
(5)If the counting officer for an area dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Chief Counting Officer must appoint another person to be the counting officer for the area.
(6)A counting officer may, in writing, appoint deputies to carry out some or all of the officer’s functions and, so far as necessary for the purposes of carrying out those functions, any reference in this Act to a counting officer is to be read as including a deputy.