Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

You are required to collate certain data relating to the election. 

As set out in the EA Bulletin, forms for collecting information and data, and accompanying guidance notes for completion are available below:

Link to data portal 

Statements as to postal ballot papers

You must complete a statement as to postal ballot papers for the election.1

These statements are vital for the accounting of postal votes and for ensuring that voters have confidence that their vote will be counted in the way they intended.

The statements should form part of the arrangements that you have in place to maintain a clear audit trail of the postal voting and count processes.

You should complete the statements accurately using the figures recorded at the issue, receipt, opening and verification of postal votes.

For more information see our guidance on keeping records of the receipt and opening of postal votes.

Where to send the statement as to ballot papers

You should provide a copy of the statement for the election, in English or Welsh, to the Electoral Commission.

The statement should be sent to the Commission using [email protected]. 

The statement must not be provided before 10 calendar days after polling day but must arrive no later than 25 calendar days after polling day. If either of these days is not a working day, the time is extended to the next working day.

Separately from the statutory statement as to postal ballots, we collect data on postal voting through our online portal in a single data request alongside other relevant election data, e.g. turnout and rejected ballots. Details for how to provide this information to us will be provided in a Commission EA Bulletin.

You should also provide a copy of the completed statement at the same time and to the same person as you forward the other election documents, listed in our guidance on forwarding or retaining election documents.