Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

House of Lords

Session 2010 - 11
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 7 — Combination of polls: Scotland
Part 3 — Forms referred to in Parts 1 and 2
249

Paragraph 21(1)
Form 6 - guidance for voters to be exhibited outside and inside every polling
station

1.
When you are given your ballot papers go to one of the compartments.

2.
On the [insert colour] referendum ballot paper, mark a cross (X) in the box on the

5

right hand side of the ballot paper opposite the answer you are voting for.

3.
On the Scottish Parliament ballot papers, coloured [insert colour or colours], mark

your choices with a cross (X) in the box on the right hand side of each ballot paper

opposite the name of the candidate or party you are voting for. Put only one X on

each ballot paper.

10

4.
Vote once only in the referendum and on each ballot paper for the Scottish

Parliament election. Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may not

be counted.

5.
If by mistake you spoil a ballot paper, show it to the presiding officer and ask for

another one.

15

6.
Fold each ballot paper in two. Show the presiding officer the number and other

unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper, but do not let anyone see

your vote. Put each ballot paper in the [appropriate]* ballot box and leave the

polling station.

20

* Complete or omit as necessary.

Paragraph 22(1)
Form 7 - guidance for voters to be exhibited in every polling station
compartment
25

REFERENDUM ON THE VOTING SYSTEM FOR

UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Referendum ballot paper ([insert colour] ballot paper)

Votes cast in this poll will decide on the voting system for United Kingdom

parliamentary elections.

30

•  You have one vote on this paper.

•  You should place a cross (X) in one box only.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS

Constituency ballot paper ([insert colour] ballot paper)

35

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 7 — Combination of polls: Scotland
Part 3 — Forms referred to in Parts 1 and 2
250

Votes cast in this poll will decide the election of a member to represent your

constituency in the Scottish Parliament.

•  You have one vote on this paper.

•  You should place a cross (X) in one box only.

Regional ballot paper ([insert colour] ballot paper)

5

Votes cast in this poll will decide the allocation of the 7 additional seats in the

Scottish Parliament for this region. You may use this vote [either]* for a political

party putting forward a list of candidates [or for an individual candidate not

standing on a party list]*.

•  You have one vote on this paper.

10

•  You should place a cross (X) in one box only.

PUT NO OTHER MARKS ON THE BALLOT PAPERS OR YOUR VOTES MAY

NOT BE COUNTED

15

* Omit as necessary.

Paragraph 26(2)
Form 8 - Form of certificate of employment

Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary

20

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

25

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)

30

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

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

voting area specified above on production and surrender of this certificate to the

presiding officer.

35

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 7 — Combination of polls: Scotland
Part 3 — Forms referred to in Parts 1 and 2
251

Paragraph 33(1)
Form 9 - Form of declaration to be made by the companion of a voter with
disabilities

I, ................................................................................................... (name of companion)

5

of .................................................................................................. (address of companion)

having been requested to assist ..................................................... (name of voter)

[in the case of a person with disabilities voting as proxy, add

voting as proxy for ........................................................................ (name of elector)]

whose number on the register is .................................................. to record their vote

10

at the [referendum]* [and]* [election(s)]* being held in this [voting area]* [/

constituency]*

hereby declare that

(a)
[I am entitled to vote as an elector at the said [referendum]* [and]*

[election]*,]*

15

(b)
[I am the #.................................. of the said voter and have attained the age

of 18 years,]* and

(c)
I have not previously assisted any voter with disabilities [except

.......................... (name of other elector), of .......................... (address of other

elector)], to vote at the [referendum]* [or]* [election]*]*.

20

#State the relationship of the companion to the voter.

*Delete as appropriate.

(Signed) .......................................... (companion)

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

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

25

.............. 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 presence.

(Signed)..........................................

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

30

Time ........................................ (am/pm)

NOTES: (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.

35

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 7 — Combination of polls: Scotland
Part 3 — Forms referred to in Parts 1 and 2
252

(2) A voter with disabilities is a voter who has made a declaration 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.

Paragraph 54
Form 10 - Statement as to postal ballot papers for the referendum
5

REFERENDUM ON THE VOTING SYSTEM FOR

UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

STATEMENT AS TO POSTAL BALLOT PAPERS

Voting area
[Name of voting
Date of poll
[Date of poll]

10

area]

A
Issue of postal ballot papers
Number

voting area

1
Total number of postal ballot papers issued under

paragraphs 8(1), 13(3) and 14(6).

15

B(1)
Receipt and replacement of postal ballot papers
Number

voting area

2
Number of postal ballot papers received by the counting

officer or at a polling station before the close of the poll

(excluding any returned either as undelivered or under

20

paragraph 13(2) or 14(3)).

3
Number of covering envelopes received by the counting

officer after the close of the poll, excluding any returned

as undelivered.

4
Number of postal ballot papers returned spoilt for

25

cancellation in time for another ballot paper to be issued

under paragraph 13(3).

5
Number of postal ballot papers identified as lost or not

received in time for another ballot paper to be issued

under paragraph 14(6).

30

6
Number of postal ballot papers cancelled and retrieved

in time for another ballot paper to be issued under

paragraph 14(6).

7
Number of postal ballot papers returned as spoilt too

late for another ballot paper to be issued under

35

paragraph 13(3).

8
Number of postal ballot papers identified as lost or not

received too late for another ballot paper to be issued

under paragraph 14(6).

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 7 — Combination of polls: Scotland
Part 3 — Forms referred to in Parts 1 and 2
253

9
Number of postal ballot papers received and cancelled

too late for another ballot paper to be issued under

paragraph 14(6).

10
Number of covering envelopes returned as undelivered

up to the date of this statement.

5

11
Total number of postal ballot papers returned (total of

lines 2 to 10).

12
Number of postal ballot papers which have been issued

but which have not been received by the counting officer

at the date of this statement. (This should be the total at

10

line 1 above minus the total at line 11 above.)

B(2)
Receipt of postal ballot papers—Personal identifiers
Number

(Cancellations under paragraph 13 (spoilt) or 14 (lost or
voting area

not received) should not be included in lines 14 to 17

below.)

15

13
Number of covering envelopes set aside for the

verification of personal identifiers on postal voting

statements in accordance with paragraph 19(2) or (7).

14
Number of postal voting statements not subject to

verification procedure rejected as not completed under

20

paragraph 20(3).

15
Number of postal voting statements subject to

verification procedure rejected as not completed under

paragraph 21(3).

16
Number of postal voting statements rejected following

25

verification procedures due to the personal identifiers on

the postal voting statement not matching those in the

personal identifiers record under paragraph 21(3).

17
Number of ballot papers rejected following verification

procedures due to the number on the postal voting

30

statement not matching the number on the ballot paper

under paragraph 21(5) to (8).

C
Count of Ballot Papers
Number

voting area

18
Number of ballot papers returned by postal voters

35

which were included in the count of ballot papers.

19
Number of cases in which a covering envelope or its

contents were marked “Rejected”.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 8 — Combination of polls: Northern Ireland
Part 1 — Provision about combination
254

Signed: ...........................................................

Counting officer

NOTES

1.
The references to paragraphs are to paragraphs of Schedule 4 to the

5

Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2010 as applied by the

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2010.

2.
The completed statement must be sent to the Secretary of State and to

the Electoral Commission during a period of 6 days starting 10 days

after the day of the poll.

10

Schedule 8
Section 4

Combination of polls: Northern Ireland
Part 1
Provision about combination
15
General provisions
Interpretation
1     (1)
An election the poll for which is, under section 4(4), to be taken together with
the poll for the referendum is referred to in this Schedule as a “relevant
election”.
20
      (2)
The polls to be taken together are referred to in this Schedule as “combined
polls”.
2
In this Schedule—
“Assembly election” means an election to the Northern Ireland
Assembly;
25
“Assembly Elections Rules” means the parliamentary elections rules as
applied for the purposes of Assembly elections by Article 3(1) of, and
Schedule 1 to, the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001
(S.I. 2001/2599);
“Chief Electoral Officer” means the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern
30
Ireland;
“counting agent” means a counting agent for the referendum or a
counting agent for a relevant election (except where one or other is
specified);
“local election” has the meaning given in section 130(1) of the Electoral
35
Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962;

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Schedule 8 — Combination of polls: Northern Ireland
Part 1 — Provision about combination
255

“Local Elections Rules” means the rules set out in Schedule 5 to the
Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962.
Cost of combined polls
3
The cost of taking the combined polls (excluding any cost solely attributable
to the referendum or to a particular relevant election), and any cost
5
attributable to their combination, is to be apportioned equally among them.
Publication of statement of persons nominated
4     (1)
The statement of persons nominated at the relevant elections must be
published by not later than the 15th day before the date of the poll.
      (2)
The timetables set out in the following provisions are to be read with
10
whatever modifications are necessary to give effect to sub-paragraph (1)—
(a)
rule 1 of the Assembly Elections Rules;
(b)
rule 1 of the Local Elections Rules.
Directions by Chief Counting Officer to Chief Electoral Officer
5     (1)
The reference in paragraph 3(5)(a) of Schedule 1 to a counting officer’s
15
functions includes (subject to sub-paragraph (5)) the functions of the Chief
Electoral Officer that are conferred by—
(a)
the relevant provisions of the Assembly Elections Rules;
(b)
the relevant provisions of the Local Elections Rules;
(c)
Part 5 of the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland)
20
Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2009/1741) or Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Local
Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (S.I. 1985/454) (issue and
receipt of postal ballot papers);
(d)
paragraph 33(1), (2)(b) and (6) below.
      (2)
The reference in paragraph 3(5)(b) of that Schedule to information that a
25
counting officer has or is entitled to have includes information that the Chief
Electoral Officer has, or is entitled to have, by virtue of exercising those
functions.
      (3)
The relevant provisions of the Assembly Elections Rules are—
(a)
rule 19A (corresponding number list);
30
(b)
rule 23(2) (notice of situation of polling stations etc);
(c)
rule 24 (postal ballot papers);
(d)
rule 25 (provision of polling stations);
(e)
in rule 26 (appointment of presiding officers and clerks), paragraph
(1) to the extent that it concerns the appointment of presiding officers
35
and clerks to assist them, and paragraph (2);
(f)
rule 29 (equipment of polling stations);
(g)
rule 31(a) (notification of requirement of secrecy at polling stations);
(h)
rule 31A (return of postal ballot papers);
(i)
rule 32(3) (certificate as to employment);
40
(j)
rule 33(2)(b) (authorisation to remove person from polling station).
      (4)
The relevant provisions of the Local Elections Rules are—
(a)
rule 16A (corresponding number list);