Security of election materials
391 Security of election materials
After the election has been declared, the returning officer must, in the approved manner, package and secure the ballot-papers and other materials used and provided for use at the election.
The returning officer is to seal, endorse and sign each package, and to allow any scrutineers entitled to be present to do the same to each package. The endorsement is to specify the contents of each package and the name of the ward (if any) and area, as well as the date of the polling, to which the contents relate.
The returning officer is to forward the packages to the election manager.
The election manager must ensure the packages are kept securely until the latest of the following—
in the case of a council that has resolved to fill any casual vacancy by a countback election—the period of 18 months after the day of polling has expired,
in the case of a council that has not so resolved—the period of 6 months after the day of polling has expired,
if proceedings in a court or tribunal relating to the election have been commenced within that period—the proceedings have been finally determined,
if the election manager has consented to the use of the papers and materials in the packages for research or analysis—the conclusion of that research or analysis.
On the expiry of the election manager’s obligation under subsection (4), he or she may cause the packages to be destroyed.
The returning officer is to detach the statistical information sheet from each nomination paper before the papers are packaged under this section. The returning officer is then to forward the sheets to the Secretary.
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