Printing of ballot-papers, directions to voters etc
19 Printing of ballot-papers, directions to voters etc
If a ballot is to be held, the returning officer—
must determine the order in which the candidates’ names are to be listed on the ballot-paper by means of a ballot held in accordance with the procedure set out in section 303 of this Regulation, and
must cause sufficient ballot-papers to be printed so that a ballot-paper can be forwarded to each qualified elector.
The ballot-paper must contain—
the names of the candidates, arranged in the order determined in accordance with subsection (1)(a), with a small square opposite each name, and
if, in the opinion of the returning officer, the names of 2 or more candidates are so similar as to cause confusion, such other matter as will, in the opinion of the returning officer, distinguish between those candidates, and
the directions as to the manner in which the vote is to be recorded, and the ballot-paper returned to the returning officer, required by subsection (3) or (4) and such other directions as the returning officer considers appropriate.
If only 1 candidate is to be elected, the directions to voters must include directions to the effect that—
the voter must record a vote for at least one candidate by placing the number “1” in the square opposite the name of the candidate for whom the voter wishes to give his or her first preference, and
the voter may vote for additional candidates by placing consecutive numbers, beginning with the number “2”, in the squares opposite the names of those additional candidates in the order of the voter’s preferences for them.
If 2 or more candidates are to be elected, the directions to voters must include directions to the effect that—
the voter must record a vote for at least the number of candidates which corresponds to the number of vacancies to be filled by placing the sequence of numbers corresponding to the number of vacancies to be filled in the squares opposite the names of the candidates in the order of the voter’s preferences for them, and
the voter may vote for additional candidates by placing consecutive numbers, beginning with the number corresponding to the number of vacancies to be filled, plus one, in the squares opposite the names of those additional candidates in the order of the voter’s preferences for them.
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