Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

House of Commons

Session 2010 - 11
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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

Issued by the Counting Officer

[Where poll card sent to the proxy of an anonymous elector substitute for the text

marked with * above:

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

proxy for the person whose electoral number is shown below and you will be

5

sent a postal vote.

You are entitled to vote as proxy for the person whose electoral number is shown

below:

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

(Person’s number on electoral register)

10

Rule 15(6)(a)
Form 9 - Official poll card (to be sent to an elector in Northern Ireland not
voting by post)
Front of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

15

elections

OFFICIAL POLL CARD

Voting area: Northern Ireland

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

Your polling station will be .....................................................................................

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Polling hours: 7 am to 10 pm

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

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

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

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

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Back of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

elections

This card is for information only. You can vote without it, but it will save time

if you take it to the polling station and show it to the clerk there. Remember

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

photographic identification.

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

When you go to the polling station, tell the clerk your name and address, as

shown on the front of the card and show your photographic identification. If the

clerk is satisfied that you are entitled to vote you will be 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 are voting for.

5

Fold the ballot paper in two. Show the number and other unique identifying

mark to the presiding officer, but do not let anyone see your vote. Put the ballot

paper in the ballot box and leave the polling station.

Vote in one box only. Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may

not be counted.

10

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

another one.

If you are given a postal vote for this referendum, you will not be able to vote in

person in the referendum so please ignore this poll card.

If you have appointed a proxy to vote for you, you may nevertheless vote in this

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referendum yourself provided you do so before your proxy has voted on your

behalf and provided your proxy is not entitled to vote on your behalf by post.

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

which can be provided.

To obtain information in relation to the approved forms of photographic

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identification or other information relating to voting procedures please phone

[helpline number]

ISSUED BY THE COUNTING OFFICER

Rule 15(6)(b)
Form 10 - Official proxy poll card (to be sent to an appointed proxy voting in
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person in Northern Ireland)
Front of card

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

elections

PROXY’S OFFICIAL POLL CARD

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

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

Voting area: Northern Ireland

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

The poll will be open from 7 am to 10 pm

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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
71

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

appointment made specifically for this referendum.

Back of card
5

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

station—

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

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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

form of photographic identification and give the name and qualifying address

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

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

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

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

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

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own vote.

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

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

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.

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

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]

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ISSUED BY THE COUNTING OFFICER

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

Rule 17(3)
Form 11 - Form of corresponding number list (to be used in polling stations if
referendum taken alone)

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

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

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

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

Ballot Paper Number
Elector Number

10

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Rule 17(6)
Form 12 - Form of directions for the guidance of the voters in voting
Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary elections
25
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

are voting for.

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

2. Vote in one box 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

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

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

another one.

Rule 21(4)(b)
Form 13 - Form of certificate of employment

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

10

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.

Rule 31(5)
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Form 14 - 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

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

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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.

*State the relationship of the companion to the voter.

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

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

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

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

[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

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presence.

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

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

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

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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.

(2) A voter with disabilities is a voter who has made a declaration under rule 31(2)

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

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

Schedule 3
Section 3

Absent voting in the referendum
Part 1
Great Britain
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Interpretation
1
In this Part of this Schedule—
“anonymous entry”, in relation to a register of electors, is to be read in
accordance with section 9B of the 1983 Act;
“European Parliamentary Elections Regulations” means the European
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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—
(a)
a register of parliamentary electors, or
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(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
outside the United Kingdom);
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“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;

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

(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—
(a)
in person (where the person is granted permission to be absent from
the hospital and voting in person does not breach any condition
attached to that permission), or
(b)
by post or by proxy (where the person is entitled to vote by post or,
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as the case may be, by proxy in the referendum).
      (7)
Nothing in this paragraph applies to a person to whom section 7A of the
1983 Act (persons remanded in custody) applies, whether the person is
registered by virtue of that provision or not; and such a person may vote
only by post or by proxy (where the person is entitled to vote by post or, as
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the case may be, by proxy in the referendum).
      (8)
Sub-paragraph (2) does not prevent a person, at the polling station allotted
to him or her, marking a tendered ballot paper in pursuance of rule 32 of the
referendum rules.