The European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

Amendments to the 2004 Regulations

This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum

37.  After regulation 111 (service of notices) insert—

Translations etc. of certain documents

111A.(1) Paragraphs (2) and (3) apply to any document which by virtue of these Regulations is required or authorised to be given to voters or displayed in any place for the purposes of a European Parliamentary election.

(2) The person who is required or authorised to give or display the document (“P”) must, as P thinks appropriate, give or display or otherwise make available in such form as P thinks appropriate—

(a)the document in Braille;

(b)the document in languages other than English;

(c)graphical representations of the information contained in the document;

(d)other means of making the information contained in the document accessible to persons who might not otherwise have reasonable access to the information.

(3) P must also, as P thinks appropriate, make available the information contained in the document in such audible form as P thinks appropriate.

(4) Paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply to—

(a)the nomination paper; or

(b)the ballot paper.

(5) The returning officer may cause to be displayed at every polling station in the election an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper.

(6) The sample copy mentioned in paragraph (5)—

(a)must have printed the words “Vote for as many candidates as you wish in order of preference” both at the top and immediately below the list of candidates, and

(b)may include a translation of those words into such other languages as the returning officer thinks appropriate.

(7) The returning officer must provide at every polling station in the election an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of voters who are partially sighted.

(8) The sample copy mentioned in paragraph (7) must be clearly marked as a specimen provided only for the guidance of voters..