Valid ballot papers are those ballot papers whose related postal voting statement has passed the signature and date of birth checks.
A small number of voters do not need to sign their postal voting statement. These voters will have been granted a waiver because they are unable to sign or provide a consistent signature due to a disability or an inability to read or write. The postal voting statement sent to such electors will make this clear.
Invalid ballot papers are set aside and stored in secure packets.
Unless a waiver has been granted, the Constituency Returning Officer (CRO) will reject a postal voting statement if a signature and/or date of birth is missing or if a signature and/or date of birth does not match that previously provided by the elector and held on record.
Rejected statements are attached to the relevant ballot papers or ballot paper envelope. They are marked as rejected and shown to any agents present.
Agents can object to the CRO’s decision to reject any postal vote and, if they do, the words 'rejection objected to' are added to it. However, the CRO’s decision is final and the postal vote will remain rejected.