Valid ballot papers are those ballot papers whose related declaration of identity has passed the signature and date of birth checks.
Invalid ballot papers are set aside and stored in secure packets.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will reject a declaration of identity if a signature and/or date of birth does not match that previously provided by that elector and held on record.
Rejected declarations of identity are attached to the relevant ballot paper or ballot paper envelope. They are marked as ‘rejected’ and shown to any agents present.
Agents can object to the CEO's decision to reject any postal vote and, if they do, the words ‘rejection objected to’ are added to it. However, the decision is final and the postal vote will remain rejected.
Other reasons for rejection include an individual handing in a postal vote to the Returning Officer:
does not fully complete the postal vote return form (incomplete)
hands in postal votes on behalf of more than the permitted number of electors
is a campaigner not permitted to handle postal votes
does not complete the postal vote return form (left behind)
In these cases the postal vote will be rejected. You may see these rejected postal votes sealed up with a description of its contents written on each packet.