Education Acts Compilation.

(c.) If the elector votes more than once at the same election. (d.) If, being delivered to the Returning Officer, it is not delivered before the close of the poll. (e.) If, being posted to the Returning Officer, it does not reach 5 him before the close of the fourteenth day after the day of the election, or if the envelope containing it does not bear the postmark of the day of the election or of a previous day. 22. Each candidate may, by writing under his hand, appoint ; 10 one scrutineer, who may be present at the examination of the voting- ' papers as hereinafter mentioned. 23. On the fifteenth day after the day of the election the Returning Officer shall open and examine all the voting-papers duly delivered to him or received by him through the post as aforesaid, 15 and, after rejecting all informal voting-papers, shall ascertain the candidates (not exceeding the total number to be elected) who have received the greatest number of votes, and shall, by notice exhibited in the office of the Board, declare such candidates to be elected. 24. The Returning Officer shall, immediately after counting 20 the votes, seal up all voting-papers, and transmit the whole to the Clerk of the nearest Magistrate's Court, who shall keep the same for six months thereafter, and shall not open or permit to be opened such packet except on the order of some Court of competent jurisdiction, and shall at the end of six months effectually 25 destroy the same; and if any person, save on the order of any such Court, opens any such packet, or destroys any of the contents thereof, he shall be liable to a penalty of fifty pounds for every such offence. 25. If by reason of an equality of votes given for two or more 30 candidates the election is not complete, the Returning Officer shall complete the election by lot in such manner as the Board directs. 26. Forthwith after the completion of the election the Returning Officer shall notify in the Gazette, and also by advertisement in a newspaper published in the district, the names of the persons 35 elected, the number of valid votes recorded for each candidate, the total number of valid votes recorded, and the total number of votes rejected as informal. 27. (1.) At every election of a member of an Education Board the Returning Officer and every scrutineer shall, before entering on 40 their respective duties, make and sign the declaration set forth in the Third Schedule hereto. (2.) The declaration may be made and signed before a Justice of the Peace, or the Chairman of the Board, or, in the case of a scrutineer, before the Returning Officer. 45 (3.) Every such declaration shall be exempt from stamp duty. (4.) Every Returning Officer or scrutineer who makes known the state of the poll, or gives or pretends to give any information by which the state of the poll may be known, before the final declaration thereof by the Returning Officer, or who makes known for which 50 candidate any voter has voted, commits an offence, and is liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds. 2

Scrutineers may be 1900^0.16, sec. 13 Returning officer to elected. Ibld . eeo - 14 How voting papers J^ c f^ I '^'' 11 ' Penalty. How election 0 f equality ot votes. ibid, sec. 16 Notification of üß°[eu B °[ el 1 e 7 0ti011 " l ' se Declaration of 0 . 29i sco , 5 Disclosure of certain facts an offence, ibid, sec. c

Returning Officer to count votes and declare candidates elected. Ibid, sec. 14

How voting-papers to be dealt with. Ibid, sec. 15

Penalty.

How election determined in case of equality oi votes. Ibid, sec. 16 Notification of result of election. Ibid, sec. 17

Declaration of seorecy. 1901, No. 29, sec. 5

Disclosure of certain facts an offence. Ibid, sec. 6

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