Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

House of Commons

Session 2010 - 11
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 2 — Rules for conduct of the referendum
Part 2 — Forms referred to in referendum rules
69

Rule 14(5)(c)
Form 11 - Official proxy poll card (to be sent to an appointed proxy voting in
person in Northern Ireland)
Front of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

5

elections

PROXY’S OFFICIAL POLL CARD

Proxy’s name...........................................................................................................

Proxy’s address......................................................................................................

Voting area: Northern Ireland

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Polling day ...............................................................................................................

The poll will be open from 7 am to 10 pm

This poll card is to tell you that you may vote in this referendum on behalf of the

person named on the back of this card. Your appointment to vote for this person

as his or her proxy is either an existing appointment for elections or an

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appointment made specifically for this referendum.

Back of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

elections

The person named below whose proxy you are is entitled to vote at the polling

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station—

...............................................................................................................................

To vote as proxy you must go to that polling station. Remember that you will

not be able to vote unless you show an approved form of photographic

identification. Tell the clerk that you wish to vote as proxy; show your approved

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form of photographic identification and give the name and qualifying address

of the person on whose behalf you wish to vote, as follows:

Number on register .............................................................................................

Name ......................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................

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If the clerk is satisfied that you are able to vote as a proxy the clerk will give you

a ballot paper. The method of voting as proxy is the same as for casting your

own vote.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 2 — Rules for conduct of the referendum
Part 2 — Forms referred to in referendum rules
70

It is an offence to vote as proxy for some other person if you know that that

person is subject to a legal incapacity to vote, e.g. if that person has been

convicted and is detained in a penal institution in pursuance of his or her

sentence. It is also an offence to vote in this referendum for more than two

persons of whom you are not the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent,

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brother, sister, child or grandchild.

The person for whom you are appointed as proxy may himself or herself vote in

person in this referendum if he or she is able, and wishes, to do so and if he or

she votes before you on his or her own behalf.

If you need help with voting please ask the clerk who will explain the assistance

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which can be provided.

To obtain information in relation to the approved forms of photographic

identification or other information relating to voting procedures please phone

[helpline number]

ISSUED BY THE COUNTING OFFICER

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Rule 14(5)(d)
Form 12 - Official proxy postal poll card (to be sent to an appointed proxy
voting by post in Northern Ireland)
Front of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

20

elections

OFFICIAL PROXY POSTAL POLL CARD

Voting area: Northern Ireland
This poll card is to tell you that you

For the referendum on: [day/date]
may vote in this referendum on behalf

Name and Address (Proxy):
of the person named on the back of

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We will send the proxy postal voting

papers around [day/date].

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 2 — Rules for conduct of the referendum
Part 2 — Forms referred to in referendum rules
71

If the postal voting papers have not

arrived by [day/date] please call

[helpline number] and ask for help.

If you accidentally spoil the proxy postal ballot paper, please call [helpline

number] as soon as possible. Replacement ballot papers can only be issued before

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5 pm on [-1 day/date deadline].

This card is to provide you with information about voting by post.

SEE INFORMATION ON THE BACK OF THIS CARD

Back of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary elections

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This poll card is to tell you that for this referendum you will be able to vote as

proxy for the person named below and you will be sent a postal vote.

...................................................................................................................................

(Person’s name)

....................................................................................................................................

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(Person’s address)

When you receive the postal voting pack, please read the instructions with it

carefully before completing the postal ballot paper.

Do not let anyone see your vote. If you need help voting, the person helping you

must not tell anyone how you have voted. You can get independent help from the

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counting officer: please call our helpline on [helpline number].

You must sign the declaration of identity in the presence of a person known to

you. That person should then sign the declaration as a witness, adding his or her

name and address. This is a security measure. It will not affect your vote or mean

it can be identified. Without this, the declaration will not be valid and the vote will

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not be counted.

If you accidentally spoil the postal ballot paper, please call the helpline number

below as soon as possible. We can only issue replacement postal ballot papers

before 5 pm on [-1 day/date deadline]

Complete and return the postal vote as soon as possible. The counting officer must

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receive the postal vote by 10 pm on [day/date of poll]. You can deliver your

completed voting papers to any polling station in Northern Ireland.

If you want to vote in person as a proxy at this referendum, you must cancel your

postal vote before 5 pm on [-14 day/date deadline]

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 2 — Rules for conduct of the referendum
Part 2 — Forms referred to in referendum rules
72

It is illegal to do any of the following:

•
Vote more than once (unless you are appointed as a proxy for another

person) in the referendum.

•
Vote as a proxy in the referendum for more than two persons unless you

are their spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or

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grandchild.

•
Vote as a proxy for a person if you know that the person is subject to a legal

incapacity to vote.

Issued by the Counting Officer

Rule 16(3)
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Form 13 - Form of corresponding number list (to be used in polling stations if
referendum taken alone)

Voting area: ........................................

Date of Poll: .........................................

Polling Station: .....................................

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Sheet No.: .............................................

Ballot Paper Number
Elector Number

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Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 2 — Rules for conduct of the referendum
Part 2 — Forms referred to in referendum rules
73

Rule 16(6)
Form 14 - Form of directions for the guidance of the voters in voting
Guidance for voters

1. When you are given a ballot paper go to one of the compartments. Mark a cross

(X) in the box on the right hand side of the ballot paper opposite the answer you

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are voting for.

2. Vote once only. Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may not be

counted. Do not let anyone see your vote.

3. Fold the ballot paper in two. Show the back of the ballot paper to the presiding

officer so as to disclose the number and other unique identifying mark. Put the

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ballot paper in the ballot box and leave the polling station.

4. If by mistake you spoil a ballot paper, show it to the presiding officer and ask for

another one.

Rule 20(4)(b)
Form 15 - Form of certificate of employment
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Referendum on the voting system for parliamentary elections

[insert name of voting area]

I certify that (name) ..................... who is numbered ................... in the register of

electors cannot reasonably be expected to go in person to the polling station

allotted to him or her in the referendum on (date of poll) ..................... by reason of

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the particular circumstances of his or her employment on that date for a purpose

connected with the referendum *as a constable / *by me.

*Delete whichever is inappropriate.

Signature .................................................

*Counting officer / police officer (inspector or above)

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Date ....................................

Note: The person named above is entitled to vote at any polling station on

production and surrender of this certificate to the presiding officer.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 3 — Absent voting in the referendum
Part 1 — Great Britain
74

Rule 30(5)
Form 16 - Form of declaration to be made by the companion of a voter with
disabilities

I, A.B., of ........................., having been requested to assist C.D. ([in the case of a

person with disabilities voting as proxy add] voting as proxy for M.N.) whose number

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on the register is ............... to record his vote in the referendum now being held in

this voting area hereby declare that (I am entitled to vote as a voter at that

referendum) (I am the *...................... of the said voter and have attained the age of

18 years), and that I have not previously assisted any person with a disability

(except E.F., of .....................) to vote in that referendum.

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*State the relationship of the companion to the voter.

(Signed) A.B. ..........................................

Date ........................................................

I, the undersigned, being the presiding officer for the .............. polling station in the

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[insert name of voting area] hereby certify that the above declaration, having been

first read to the above-named declarant, was signed by the declarant in my

presence.

(Signed) G.H. ............................................

[Date ...........................................................]

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............................ minutes past .................... o’clock [am] [pm]

NOTE: (1) If the person making the above declaration knowingly and wilfully

makes therein a statement false in a material particular, he or she will be guilty of

an offence.

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(2) A voter with disabilities is a voter who has made a declaration under rule 30(2)

that he or she is so incapacitated by blindness or other disability, or by an inability

to read, as to be unable to vote without assistance.

Schedule 3
Section 3

Absent voting in the referendum
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Part 1
Great Britain
Interpretation
1
In this Part of this Schedule—
“anonymous entry”, in relation to a register of electors, is to be read in
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accordance with section 9B of the 1983 Act;

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 3 — Absent voting in the referendum
Part 1 — Great Britain
75

“European Parliamentary Elections Regulations” means the European
Parliamentary Elections Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/293);
“peer” means a peer who is a member of the House of Lords;
“registration officer” has the meaning given in section 8 of the 1983 Act;
“relevant register” means—
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(a)
a register of parliamentary electors, or
(b)
in relation to a peer—
(i)
a register of local government electors, or
(ii)
a register of peers maintained under section 3 of the
Representation of the People Act 1985 (peers resident
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outside the United Kingdom);
“the relevant regulations”—
(a)
in relation to England and Wales, means the Representation
of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001
(S.I. 2001/341) as applied by Schedule 4;
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(b)
in relation to Scotland, means the Representation of the
People (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/497) as so
applied;
“the RPA 2000” means the Representation of the People Act 2000.
Manner of voting in the referendum
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2     (1)
This paragraph applies to determine the manner of voting in England and
Wales or Scotland of a person entitled to vote in the referendum.
      (2)
The person may vote in person at the polling station allotted to him or her
under the referendum rules, unless the person is entitled to vote by post or
by proxy in the referendum.
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      (3)
The person may vote by post if the person is entitled to vote by post in the
referendum.
      (4)
If the person is entitled to vote by proxy in the referendum, the person may
so vote unless, before a ballot paper has been issued for the person to vote
by proxy, the person applies at the polling station allotted to him or her
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under the referendum rules for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in
person, in which case he or she may vote in person there.
      (5)
If—
(a)
the person is not entitled to vote by post or by proxy in the
referendum, but
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(b)
the person cannot reasonably be expected to go in person to the
polling station allotted to him or her under the referendum rules by
reason of the particular circumstances of his or her employment,
either as a constable or by the counting officer, on the date of the poll
for a purpose connected with the referendum,
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he or she may vote in person at any polling station.
      (6)
Nothing in this paragraph applies to a person to whom section 7 of the 1983
Act (mental patients who are not detained offenders) applies and who is
liable, by virtue of any enactment, to be detained in the mental hospital in
question, whether the person is registered by virtue of that provision or not;
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and such a person may vote—