Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01736:reg:32
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01736
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 32
Character Range: 26949–28235

32  Preliminary scrutiny of declaration envelopes
 (1) The returning officer must conduct a preliminary scrutiny of declaration envelopes, to ensure no more than one ballot paper is counted for each eligible voter, by:
 (a) removing each voter's declaration envelope from the reply paid envelope; and
 (b) examining the voter's declaration on the declaration envelope; and
 (c) marking the voter's name off on the roll of voters.
 (2) The preliminary scrutiny may commence before the ballot closes.
 (3) The returning officer must not count a voter's ballot paper if:
 (a) the voter did not complete the declaration envelope to the returning officer's satisfaction; or
 (b) the voter is not an eligible voter; or
 (c) the returning officer is unable to find the voter on the roll of voters.
 (4) If a voter has returned more than one ballot paper, the returning officer must not count any of the ballot papers returned by the voter.
 (5) If a ballot paper is not counted because of subsection (3) or (4), the returning officer must:
 (a) place the ballot paper, and any other election material returned by the voter, in a sealed parcel; and
 (b) endorse the parcel to indicate the parcel's contents and the election to which the parcel relates; and
 (c) sign and date the endorsement.