The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021

Equipment of polling stations

32.—(1) The returning officer must provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as the returning officer considers necessary.

(2) Each ballot box must be constructed so that ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, without the seal being broken.

(3) If the returning officer considers it appropriate, the same ballot box may be used for the poll at the principal area election and the poll at each relevant election.

(4) If separate ballot boxes are to be used, each ballot box must be clearly marked with—

(a)the election to which it relates, as shown on the ballot papers for that election, and

(b)information specifying the colour of the ballot papers that may be placed in the box.

(5) The returning officer must provide each polling station with—

(a)materials to enable voters to mark the ballot papers,

(b)copies of the relevant register of electors,

(c)copies of any notices issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act so far as relating to the relevant register of electors,

(d)copies of the parts of any lists of persons entitled to vote by post or by proxy that correspond to the relevant register of electors, and

(e)a list (“the polling station’s corresponding number list”) consisting of that part of Part 2 of the corresponding number list prepared under rule 23 that contains the numbers, but not the other unique identifying marks, corresponding to those on the ballot papers provided to the presiding officer under paragraph (1).

(6) In paragraph (5), “the relevant register of electors” means the register of electors for the electoral ward or such part of it as contains the entries relating to the electors allotted to the polling station.

(7) The returning officer must cause to be displayed at each polling station an enlarged sample copy of the ballot paper.

(8) The returning officer must also provide each polling station with—

(a)an enlarged hand-held sample copy of the ballot paper for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted, and

(b)a device for enabling voters who are blind or partially-sighted to vote without any need for assistance from the presiding officer or a companion (see rules 43 to 45 for the assistance that may be obtained from the presiding officer or a companion).

(9) The sample copy of the ballot paper required to be displayed and provided by paragraphs (7) and (8)(a) must be clearly marked as specimen and provided only for the guidance of voters.

(10) The device referred to in paragraph (8)(b) must—

(a)allow a ballot paper to be inserted into and removed from, or attached to and detached from, the device easily and without damage to the paper,

(b)hold the ballot paper firmly in place during use, and

(c)provide a suitable means for the voter to—

(i)identify the spaces on the ballot paper on which votes may be marked,

(ii)identify the candidate to which each space refers, and

(iii)mark their vote on the space chosen.

(11) The returning officer must also cause a notice in the form in Appendix 6, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting, to be displayed—

(a)inside each polling station (but outside the voting compartments), and

(b)outside each polling station.

(12) The returning officer may also provide copies of the notice in Braille or in such languages other than English and Welsh as the returning officer considers appropriate.

(13) A notice containing instructions for marking the ballot paper at the principal area election and each relevant election must be exhibited inside each voting compartment in each polling station and, in relation to the principal area election, that information must include the following—

(a)where only one councillor is to be elected, an instruction to the voter to vote only once by putting a cross [X] in the box next to their choice;

(b)where more than one councillor is to be elected, an instruction to the voter to vote for no more than the number to be elected by putting a cross [X] in the box next to each of their choices;

(c)a warning to the voter to put no other mark on the ballot paper or their vote may not count.

(14) Where the returning officer is not the co-ordinating returning officer, see also regulations 4 and 5 of the Combination of Polls Regulations (which provide for circumstances in which the functions of the returning officer under this rule are to be discharged by the co-ordinating returning officer).