The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2007

Voting procedure

46.—(1) A ballot paper shall be delivered to a voter who applies for one, and immediately before delivery—

(a) the number and (unless paragraph (2) applies) name of the elector as stated in the copy of the register shall be called out;

(b) the number of the elector shall be marked on the list mentioned in rule 37(5)(d) beside the number of the ballot paper to be issued to him;

(c) a mark shall be placed in that copy of the register against the number of the elector to note that a ballot paper has been received but without showing the particular ballot paper which has been received; and

(d) in the case of a person applying for a ballot paper as proxy, a mark shall also be placed against his name in the list of proxies.

(2) In the case of an elector who has an anonymous entry, he must show the presiding officer his official poll card and only his number shall be called out in pursuance of paragraph (1)(a).

(3) In the case of an elector who is added to the register in pursuance of a notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act paragraph (1) is modified as follows—

(a) in paragraph 1(a), for “copy of the register of electors” substitute “copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act”;

(b) in paragraph 1(c), for “in the register of electors” substitute “on the copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act”.

(4) The voter, on receiving the ballot paper, shall forthwith proceed into one of the compartments in the polling station and there secretly mark his paper and fold it up so as to conceal his vote, and shall then show to the presiding officer the back of the paper, so as to disclose the number and other unique identifying mark, and put the ballot paper so folded up into the ballot box in the presiding officer’s presence.

(5) The voter shall vote without undue delay, and shall leave the polling station as soon as he has put his ballot paper into the ballot box.

(6) Where the polls at a constituency election and a regional election are to be taken together the same copy of the register of electors or copy of the notice may be used under paragraph (1) for a constituency election and a regional election and one mark may be placed in that register or on that copy under paragraph (1)(c) or in the list of proxies under paragraph (1)(d) to denote that a ballot paper has been received in respect of each election except that, where a ballot paper has been issued in respect of one election only, a different mark shall be placed in the register or, as the case may be, on the copy or in the list so as to identify the election in respect of which the ballot paper was issued.

(7) Subject to rule 50(4) where a voter is entitled to two votes, the constituency ballot paper and the regional ballot paper delivered to a voter shall bear the same number.