Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

Postal voting agents are permitted by law to observe the opening of the postal voters’ ballot box, the opening of returned postal votes and the checking of signatures and dates of birth provided on returned postal voting statements.1

You must give notice to the election agents for each party and each party list candidate and individual candidate nominated at least 48 hours’ notice before the time fixed for a postal vote opening session of the time and place of any postal vote opening session and the number of agents that may be appointed to attend each opening.2

You are permitted by law to limit the number of postal voting agents appointed. The maximum number that may be authorised must be the same for each postal voting agent of a political party and individual candidate.3

We have developed a form for the notification of appointment of a postal voting agent. You can find the notification of appointment of a postal voting agent form in the agent section of our resource page. 

Secrecy and conduct requirements

Ballot papers will be kept face down throughout a postal vote opening session.

You must provide a copy of the secrecy requirements to everyone attending the opening of postal votes.4 You can find secrecy requirements in the agents section of our resource page.

The key points are that:

• anyone attending an opening session must not attempt to see how individual ballot papers have been marked or keep a tally of how ballot papers have been marked
• anyone attending a postal vote opening must not attempt to look at identifying marks or numbers on ballot papers, disclose how any particular ballot paper has been marked or pass on any such information gained from the session.
• anyone found guilty of breaching these requirements can face an unlimited fine, or may be imprisoned for up to six months