Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Senedd elections

A postal voting agent is allowed to attend and observe postal vote opening sessions.

At each opening session the Returning Officer (RO) or a deputy will decide whether or not the date of birth and signature provided by electors on their postal voting statements match the signature and date of birth previously provided and held on their records. If there is a mismatch, the postal vote will be rejected.

A postal voting agent has a right to observe, but not to interfere with, this process. A postal voting agent can, however, object to the decision to reject a postal voting statement.1 It will not affect the decision, but any objection will be recorded by marking the postal voting statement with the words 'rejection objected t'o in English and or 'gwrthwynebwyd y gwrthodiad' in Welsh.

Like your postal voting agents, election agents for party lists, individual candidates, or a person they may have appointed to attend on their behalf are also entitled to object to a rejection.2

The RO or a deputy will explain the postal vote opening process and may issue information on the procedures to be followed, including instructions on what people attending an opening session can and cannot do. All attendees should comply with any instructions that have been given.