You must provide each polling station with the number of ballot papers that you think may be necessary.1
In practice, the GLRO will determine, in liaison with you, the number of ballot papers to be printed as a proportion of the total electorate, and you will then need to determine the allocation of the ballot papers to each polling station.
As part of your consideration, you should estimate expected turnout levels. You should assume that the turnout will not be less than the turnout at the last GLA elections, and you should take into account the potential for late engagement and interest in the election, and any local or national issues which may affect turnout.
If you decide for any reason that you are not allocating ballot papers for 100% of electors entitled to vote in person at a polling station, you should give careful consideration to the number that will be required in each case and have plans in place to ensure that additional ballot papers can be provided in a timely manner to any polling station that may require them.
You should also ensure that Presiding Officers understand how to complete the ballot paper accounts to take account of any additional allocation.
When allocating ballot papers to polling stations, you must ensure that the numbers on the ballot papers allocated to each polling station run consecutively in order to avoid any problems with completing the corresponding number lists or ballot paper accounts. Guidance on the printing of ballot papers is provided in Production of ballot papers and checking ballot papers before allocation.
You must also supply tendered ballot papers to Presiding Officers. To avoid tendered ballot papers being issued in error, it is good practice to supply them in a sealed envelope with:
instructions stating that the envelope should only be opened and the ballot papers within it issued in limited, prescribed circumstances after consultation with the elections office
a brief description of those circumstance
instructions to consult the polling station handbook for further information