Page:Representation of the Peoples Act 1918 (ukpga 19180064).pdf/15

1918. registration officer, together with a declaration of identity in the prescribed form.

(2) The ballot paper marked by the absent voter and accompanied by the declaration of identity duly signed and authenticated shall, if it is received by the returning officer before the close of the poll, be counted by him and treated for all purposes in the same manner as a ballot paper placed in the ballot box in the ordinary manner.

(3) During the continuance of the present war and a period of twelve months thereafter, for the purpose of allowing more time for the receipt of ballot papers from persona whose names are entered on the absent voters list, His Majesty may by Order in Council direct that the counting of votes at any elections to which the Order applies shall, instead of taking place as soon as practicable after the close of the poll, take place at such time (not exceeding eight days after the close of the poll) as may be fixed by the Order, and returning officers shall comply with any such direction; and in any such case any vote received by the returning officer from an absent voter before the time at which the votes are to be counted shall be reckoned in the count.

(4) The following special provisions shall apply for the purpose of enabling persona whose names are entered on the absent voters list to appoint voting proxies in certain cases:—

(a) His Majesty may by Order in Council direct that voting by proxy by naval or military voters shall be permitted in any area on land abroad mentioned in the Order if it appears to him that ballot papers sent to that area by post cannot reasonably be returned before the votes are counted, and that the case cannot be met by an Order under this section postponing the counting of votes:

(b) A person whose name is entered on the absent voters list, if he satisfies the registration officer—

(i) that he is a naval or military voter and is serving, or about to serve, afloat or in any area on land abroad in which voting by proxy is permitted in pursuance of an Order in Council made under this section; or

(ii) that he is a merchant seaman, pilot, or fisherman (including the master of a merchant ship or fishing bont and an apprentice on such a ship or boat) and that there is a likelihood that he will be at the time of a parliamentary election at sea or about to go to sea;

shall be entitled, if he so desires, to appoint a proxy, and, having appointed a proxy, to vote by proxy at a parliamentary election in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this Act:

(c) No ballot paper shall be sent for the purpose of voting by post to a person who has appointed a proxy under this provision while the appointment is in force, or to