HC Deb 17 January 1945 vol 407 cc284-7

(1) For the purpose of enabling the rights of voting by post conferred by this Part of this Act (including the rights conferred in relation to university elections) to be effectively exercised, the following provisions shall have effect:—

  1. (a) the counting of the votes at any general election to which this Part of this Act applies shall, instead of beginning as soon as possible after the close of the poll, begin not earlier than nine o'clock in the morning of the twentieth day thereafter, and any vote cast by post under this Part of this Act shall, if received before the beginning of the said twentieth day, be as effective and be dealt with as nearly as may be in the same way as if received before the close of the poll;
  2. (b) the time appointed for the meeting of the new Parliament after any such election shall be any time not less than forty clear days, instead of any time not less than twenty clear days, after the Proclamation summoning the Parliament, or, if the time for holding the election is extended under section two of the Act of 1943 so as to allow for the preparation of a register, after the coming into force of the register;
  3. (c) provision shall be made by electoral registration regulations for entitling any candidate at any such election to send to each person entitled to vote by post in the constituency under this Part of this Act any document containing matter relating to the election only (subject to such limits of size and weight as may be prescribed) by having it enclosed in the same cover as the ballot paper or voting paper to be sent to that person;
  4. (d) the arrangements made by a government department under section ten of the Act of 1943, and under that section as extended by electoral registration regulations to war workers abroad, shall include arrangements for securing that (so far as circumstances permit) any person on whom rights are conferred under this Part of this Act with respect to voting by post shall—
  1. (i) have an effective opportunity of exercising those rights, and in such manner as not to disclose the way in which he has voted or intends to vote;
  2. (ii) receive such instructions as to the effect of this Part of this Act and any regulations made under or by virtue of this Part of this Act, and such other assistance, as may be reasonably sufficient in connection with the exercise of those rights.

Brought up, and read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.