The Health Professions Council (Election Scheme) Rules Order of Council 2004

Additional nominations, uncontested vacancies and polls

8.—(1) If, after the nomination day, the Returning Officer determines, having regard to all the nominations received and to any continuing registrant members and alternate members of the Council, it would not be possible to appoint from the nominated candidates a Council that would meet the home country representation requirement, he may extend the time allowed for the nomination of candidates and take such measures as he considers appropriate to facilitate the nomination of candidates from the unrepresented home country (including modifying the time limits in rule 6 above).

(2) If after the time allowed for the nomination of candidates has expired, in respect of any vacancy for a registrant member or alternate member to represent any part of the register—

(a)there is only one candidate nominated for the vacancy, the Returning Officer shall declare the candidate so nominated to have been elected;

(b)there is more than one candidate nominated for the vacancy, the Returning Officer shall cause a poll to be held.

(3) When a poll is to be held the Returning Officer shall fix a polling day and shall publish in such manner as he sees fit—

(a)the date, which shall not be less than twenty-one days later than the date of publication;

(b)the names, addresses and home countries of all candidates; and

(c)subject to paragraph (4) the names and addresses of the persons nominating each candidate.

(4) If more than six nominations are received in relation to any one candidate, the Returning Officer shall publish in connection with that candidature the six nominations earliest received, or where several nominations are on one form, the first six mentioned on that form.

(5) Subject to rule 10, a vote shall not be valid unless made on a ballot paper received from the Independent Scrutineer and returned to him by polling day.

(6) No elector may vote both electronically and by post in any election and, if an elector does so, only the vote first received by the Independent Scrutineer shall be valid.