You must provide each polling station with such number of ballot papers that you think may be necessary.1
If you are not allocating ballot papers for 100% of electors entitled to vote in person at the polling stations careful consideration needs to be given to the number that will be required in each case.
As part of your consideration, you should estimate expected turnout levels. You should assume that the turnout will be not less than the turnout at the most recent scheduled 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 eligible 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 to any polling station in a timely manner that may require them.
You should also ensure that Presiding Officers understand how to complete the ballot paper accounts to take account of the additional allocation.
When allocating ballot papers to polling stations, 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 list(s) or ballot paper accounts. For more information on the printing of ballot papers see our guidance on 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 be opened and the ballot papers within it issued in limited, prescribed circumstances after consultation with the elections office
a brief description of those circumstances
instructions to consult the polling station handbook for further information
You can find the Senedd polling station handbook in the polling station voting section of our resource page.