The Scottish Local Government Elections Rules 2002

Equipment of polling stations

22.—(1) The returning officer shall provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as the returning officer considers 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(2) Every ballot box shall be so constructed that the ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being opened.

(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 for the electoral ward or such part of it as contains the names of the electors allotted to the station;

(d) the parts of any special lists prepared for the election corresponding to the register of electors for the electoral ward or the part of it provided under sub paragraph (c) above; and

(e) copies of forms of declarations and other documents required for the purpose of the poll.

(4) A notice in the form in the Appendix to this Schedule, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting, shall be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside every polling station.

(5) In every compartment of every polling station there shall be exhibited the notice–

• “Vote for one candidate only. Put no other mark on each ballot paper, or your vote may not be counted.”.

(6) 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; and

(b) a device of the description set out in paragraphs (7) to (12) below 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 32(1) below); and

(c) at least one notice–

• “Make sure that the ballot paper is stamped with the official mark.”.

(7) The device referred to in sub-paragraph 6(b) above shall be such that–

(a) it satisfies the conditions in paragraphs (8) to (12) below;

(b) a ballot paper can–

(i) be inserted into, and removed from, it; or

(ii) be attached to, and detached from, it; and

(c) the ballot paper will remain firmly in place once inserted into, or attached to, the device.

(8) There shall be sufficient space to allow the particulars of each candidate named on the ballot paper to be shown clearly.

(9) There shall be a separate hole on the device for the name of each candidate named on the ballot paper.

(10) Each hole in the device shall be of equal size.

(11) Each hole shall be positioned to frame the space to the right of the particulars of the candidate on which the vote may be marked (“the relevant space”).

(12) Each hole shall be sufficiently large to allow a voter to mark a cross in the relevant space on the ballot paper.