Page:Representation of the Peoples Act 1918 (ukpga 19180064).pdf/57

1918. counterfoil, or which is in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor otherwise invalid, shall not be counted as a vote in the election, but shall be sealed up in a paper apart, marked on the back thereof with the words "voting papers received but disallowed," and initialled by the Vice-Chancellor.

25. It shall be lawful for any candidate or the agent of any candidate who may be in attendance at the poll, to inspect any voting paper and to object to it on one or more of the following grounds:—

(1) That the elector named in the voting paper has already voted at that election:

(2) That the person giving a vote by the voting paper is not qualified to vote:

(3) That the voting paper is forged or falsified:

(4) That the voting paper is wanting in any of the essential conditions reqnired by this Act:

Provided, that in case the objection offered to any voting paper shall be that it is forged or falsified, such voting paper shall not on that ground alone be disallowed by the Vice-Chancellor, but he shall write upon it, objectcd to as forged," or, "objected to as falsified," together with the name of the person making such objection.

26. No voting paper shall be counted which does not reach the registrar before ten of the clock on the morning of the day on which the poll closes.

Counting of Votes.

27. After the poll is closed all voting paper; received at any polling place shall be placed in a proper receptacle and sealed up and delivered to the returning officer, and the returning officer shall, as soon as, practicable after the receipt of the votes from all the polling places, count the votes and publish the result.

28. Where an equality of votes is found to exist between any candidates on a final count and the addition of a vote would entitle any of those candidates to be declared elected, the returning officer may give a deciding vote, but the returning officer shall not be entitled to vote at the election in any other case.

General.

29. Arrangements may be made for counting votes at an election for the combined university constituency at each of the universities forming the combination, if the transferable vote is not used at that election, and for a record of the votes counted at each University being sent to the returning officer for the combined constituency in order that he may ascertain and declare the result of the election.

30. The returning officer shall appoint such deputies and clerks as he may think necessary for the proper holding of the election, and shall supply form's of nomination papers.

31. All voting papers received and counted at an election, and the counterfoils thereof, as well as any voting papers disallowed for informality, or on any other ground, and the counterfoils thereof, shall be filed, and, along with any copy of the register used for the purposes of said election, shall be kept by the returning officer for a period of twelve months after the closing of the poll.