Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013

Admission to polling station

15 (1) No person other than the presiding officer and the persons mentioned in paragraph (2) may attend a polling station.

(2) Those persons are—

(a) voters,

(b) persons under the age of 16 accompanying voters,

(c) the companions of voters with disabilities,

(d) the Member of Parliament for the constituency in which the polling station is situated,

(e) the member of the Scottish Parliament for the constituency in which the polling station is situated,

(f) members of the Scottish Parliament for the region in which the polling station is situated,

(g) members of the council for the electoral ward in which the polling station is situated,

(h) members of the European Parliament for the electoral region of Scotland,

(i) the clerks appointed to attend at the polling station,

(j) the Chief Counting Officer and members of the Chief Counting Officer’s staff,

(k) the counting officer and members of the counting officer’s staff,

(l) constables on duty,

(m) persons entitled to attend by virtue of section 18, 19 or 20,

(n) referendum agents,

(o) polling agents appointed to attend at the polling station, and

(p) any other person the presiding officer permits to attend.

(3) In paragraph (2)(g), “electoral ward” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004.

(4) The presiding officer may regulate the total number of voters and persons under the age of 16 accompanying voters who may be admitted to the polling station at the same time.

(5) Not more than one polling agent is to be admitted at the same time to a polling station on behalf of the same permitted participant.

(6) A constable or a member of the counting officer’s staff may only be admitted to vote in person elsewhere than at the polling station allotted under rule 9(1)(b), in accordance with paragraph 1(5) of schedule 2, on production of a certificate which satisfies the requirements set out in paragraph (7).

(7) A certificate must—

(a) be signed by—

(i) in the case of a constable, an officer of police of the rank of inspector or above, or

(ii) in the case of a member of the counting officer’s staff, the counting officer, and

(b) be in the form prescribed.

(8) A certificate produced under paragraph (6) must be immediately cancelled.