93—Interpretation of ballot papers in House of Assembly elections
(1) This section
applies only in relation to a House of Assembly election.
(2) Where—
(a) a
voter marks a ballot paper by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the
name of a particular candidate and indicates no further preference; and
(b)
there is 1 voting ticket registered for the purposes of the election in
relation to that candidate,
the ballot paper will be taken to have been marked in accordance with that
voting ticket.
(a) a
voter marks a ballot paper by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the
name of a particular candidate and indicates no further preference; and
(b)
there are 2 voting tickets registered for the purposes of the election in
relation to that candidate,
then the ballot paper is to be grouped with other ballot papers marked in the
same manner and—
(c) if
the number of those ballot papers is an even number—half of them will be
taken to have been marked in accordance with one ticket and half in accordance
with the other; or
(d) if
the number of those ballot papers is not an even number—
(i)
one of the ballot papers will be taken to have been
marked in accordance with whichever of the 2 tickets is determined by lot by
the returning officer; and
(ii)
half the remainder (if any) will be taken to have been
marked in accordance with one ticket and half in accordance with the other.
(4) Where—
(a) a
voter marks a ballot paper by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the
name of a particular candidate and proceeds to indicate further preferences by
consecutive numbers; and
(b)
there is 1 voting ticket registered for the purposes of the election in
relation to that candidate; and
(c) the
preferences indicated by the voter are consistent with that voting ticket; and
(d) the
ballot paper would, apart from this subsection, be informal,
the ballot paper will be taken to have been marked in accordance with that
voting ticket.
(5) Where—
(a) a
voter marks a ballot paper by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the
name of a particular candidate and proceeds to indicate further preferences by
consecutive numbers; and
(b)
there are 2 voting tickets registered for the purposes of the election in
relation to the candidate; and
(c) the
preferences indicated by the voter are consistent with one or both of those
voting tickets; and
(d) the
ballot paper would, apart from this subsection, be informal,
the ballot paper, if consistent with both voting tickets, will be treated as
if it had been marked only with the number 1 and dealt with in accordance with
subsection (3), but if it is consistent with one only of the voting
tickets, it will be taken to have been marked in accordance with that voting
ticket.