Receipt of ballot-papers
23 Receipt of ballot-papers
In any ballot, the returning officer must reject any envelope purporting to contain a ballot-paper if the envelope—
is received after the close of the ballot, or
is unsealed,
without opening the envelope or inspecting the ballot-paper.
On receipt, before the close of the ballot, of an envelope purporting to contain a ballot-paper, the returning officer must examine the name on the back of the envelope and—
if satisfied that a person of that name is a qualified elector, must accept the ballot-paper in that envelope for scrutiny without opening the envelope, or
if not so satisfied, or if a name, address or signature does not appear on the back of the envelope, must reject any ballot-paper in the envelope without opening the envelope.
If it appears to the returning officer that the signature appearing on the back of any envelope referred to in subsection (2) is not the signature of the person whose name and address appear on the back of the envelope, the returning officer may make such inquiries as the returning officer thinks fit and if, after making those inquiries, the returning officer is satisfied that the signature is not the signature of that person, must reject any ballot-paper in the envelope without opening the envelope.
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