Electoral Act 2004

(1) For each division, an authorised officer must:

(a) open the parcels and remove the unopened envelopes containing declaration ballot papers; and

(b) examine each envelope.

(2) Subsection

applies if the officer:

(a) is satisfied the declaration on the envelope is properly signed and witnessed; and

(b) accepts the declaration.

(3) The officer must:

(a) take the ballot paper out of the envelope; and

(b) place the envelope in a parcel with all other envelopes from which ballot papers have been taken under paragraph (a).

(4) If the officer is not satisfied of the matters mentioned in subsection (2), the officer must:

(a) exclude the ballot paper from further scrutiny without opening the envelope in which it is contained; and

(b) place the unopened envelopes in a parcel.

(5) The officer must seal the parcels mentioned in subsections (3)(b) and

(b) and endorse on each parcel a statement of its contents.

(6) A candidate's scrutineer may sign a sealed parcel.

Subdivision 5 Counting declaration and absent votes