The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004

The count

56.—(1) The counting officer shall, in the presence of the counting agents appointed for the referendum—

(a) open each final ballot box;

(b) count such of the ballot papers as have been duly returned and record the number counted; and

(c) count the votes given on the ballot papers that have been duly returned.

(2) Where there are combined polls, no vote shall be rendered invalid by the ballot paper having been placed in the final ballot box provided for the other referendum.

(3) The counting officer, while counting and recording the number of ballot papers and counting the votes, shall keep the ballot papers with their faces upwards and take all proper precautions for preventing any person from seeing the ballot numbers on the back of the papers.

(4) The counting officer shall so far as practicable proceed continuously with counting the votes (including any re-count), allowing only time for refreshment, except that—

(a) he may on any day exclude the hours between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. on the following day; and

(b) at combined polls he may count the votes (including any re-count) at the polls concurrently or in such sequence as he sees fit.

(5) The counting officer—

(a) during the time excluded under paragraph (4)(a) shall place the ballot papers and other documents relating to the referendum under his own seal and the seals of such counting agents as desire to fix their seals; and

(b) at all times during the count (including any recount) shall take proper precautions for the security of the ballot papers and those other documents.