Page:Representation of the Peoples Act 1918 (ukpga 19180064).pdf/50

302 No fresh nomination shall be required in the case of a candidate who stood nominated at the time the poll was countermanded.

Poll.

9. The poll shall remain open for five days, and shall take place on such days as may be fixed by the returning officer commencing not more than twelve and not less than three clear days after the day of nomination.

10. The returning officer shall appoint such polling places as appear to him to allow reasonable facilities for voting, and may give special directions that certain electors shall be allotted to certain polling places.

11. An elector may vote at a poll by the delivery of a voting paper (signed by the voter at any time subsequent to the nomination) in the form appended to this part of this schedule or in a form to the same effect and accompanied with a like declaration, or, unless the returning officer directs to the contrary, in person, and may so vote at any polling place, or, if he has not been allotted to any polling place, or, if he has been so allotted, at any polling place to which he has been so allotted.

The returning officer may give a special direction that votes shall not be given in person at the election, or that votes may be given in person on certain days of the poll only.

12. A voting paper may be delivered at a polling place on behalf of the voter by an elector, or by being sent to the presiding officer at the polling place by post, and any voting paper received by a presiding officer at a polling place at which the elector may vote before the close of the poll shall be counted, unless rejected as invalid.

Voting papers may also be sent to the returning officer by post, and any voting papers so received by the returning officer shall be sent by him to the proper presiding officer.

13. The poll shall be open for such time between the hours of 8 a.m. in the morning and 8 p.m. in the evening, not being less than four hours as the returning officer may direct, except that, if votes in person are received, but are not received on all the days of the poll, six hours shall be substituted for four as respects the days on which votes are so received as the minimum time under this provision.

14. The returning officer shall give public notice of the days and hours of poll and of the polling places appointed, and of any special directions given by him as to the days or hours of poll, or the allotment of electors to certain polling places, or as to voting in person.

15. The returning officer shall appoint a presiding officer for every polling place at which he does not act as a presiding officer himself and the presiding officer shall have general control over the arrangements for voting at the polling place and shall record the votes of electors voting in person and receive voting papers.

16. Each candidate may appoint a person to be the candidates's representative at each polling place, and a candidate's representative may object to nny voting paper received at the polling place or to the vote of any person claiming to vote in person at that place, and the presiding officer shall submit any such objection to the returning officer for decision.

17.The returning officer shall decide on the validity of any voting paper to which objection is taken, or on the right of any person to vote in person, if that right is questioned, and the decision of the returning officer,