STATUTORY INSTRUMENT

S.I. No. 16 of 2002

Ballot Paper (Photographs and Emblems) Regulations, 2002

Published by the Stationery Office, Dublin 1

Available from Government Publication Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 or by mail order from Government Publication, Postal Trade Section, 4/5 Harcourt Road, Dublin 2

S.I. No. 16 of 2002

Ballot Paper (Photographs and Emblems) Regulations, 2002

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 3 and 88 of the Electoral Act, 1992 (No. 23 of 1992) , as amended by section 21 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001 ( No. 38 of 2001 ) hereby makes the following regulations:-

Citation.

1.   These regulations may be cited as the Ballot Paper (Photographs and Emblems) Regulations, 2002.

Photographs.

2.   (1)   A photograph of a candidate at a Dáil election intended for inclusion on a ballot paper shall be delivered to the returning officer with the nomination paper in accordance with the requirements specified in Part 1 of the Schedule hereto.

(2)   Where the requirements referred to in subarticle (1) are not complied with, the returning officer may not include the photograph on the ballot paper.

(3)   Where the nomination paper is not accompanied by a photograph, the space provided on the ballot paper for a candidate's photograph shall remain blank.

Emblems.

3.   (1)   The emblem of a political party which may be registered in the Register of Political Parties pursuant to an application under section 25(3) of the Electoral Act, 1992 , as substituted by section 11 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001 , shall comply with the requirements specified in Part 2 of the Schedule hereto.

(2)   Where no emblem is registered in the Register of Political Parties, the space provided on the ballot paper for an emblem shall remain blank.

Modification of Ballot Paper.

4.    The form of ballot paper specified in the Fourth Schedule to the Electoral Act, 1992 is modified pursuant to section 21 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001 and set out in Part 3 of the Schedule hereto or, where votes are recorded on a voting machine in accordance with Part 3 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001 , as set out in Part 4 of the Schedule hereto.

Schedule

Part 1

1.           Two identical copies of the photograph (75mm × 100mm) must be delivered with the candidate's nomination paper.

2.           A photograph may, or where voting machines are used in a constituency, shall be delivered to the returning officer in digitised format on disk (two copies) along with two identical paper copies (75mm × 100mm).

3.           The photograph must be of good quality and in colour showing the candidate's full face, head and shoulders only on a light background and taken to a professional standard.

4.           The photograph must have been taken not more than twelve months prior to the date of the election.

5.           The back of the photograph must be white and unglazed.

6.           Each copy of the photograph must have the candidate's name clearly printed on the back.

Part 2

1.           An emblem shall be delivered to the Registrar of Political Parties with the application form specified by the Registrar under section 25(3) of the Electoral Act, 1992 , in digitised format on disk (two copies) along with two identical paper copies (75mm × 100mm).

2.           The emblem must be designed to a professional standard.

3.           The two paper copies of the emblem shall be signed on the back by an officer of the party whose name appears in the Register of Political Parties pursuant to section 25(7)(d) of the Electoral Act, 1992 .

Part 3

Form of Ballot Paper

(Front of Paper)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

TREORACHA

1.     Feách chuige go bhfuil an marc oifigiúil ar an bpáipéar.

2.     Marcáil an figiúr 1 sa bhosca le hais ghrianghraf an chéad iarrthóra is rogha leat, marcáil an figiúr 2 sa bhosca le hais ghrianghraf an iarrthóra do dhara rogha, agus mar sin de.

3.     Fill an páipéar ionas nach bhfeicfear do vóta. Taispeáin cúl an pháipéir don oifigeach ceannais, agus cuir sa bhosca ballóide é.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     See that the official mark is on the paper.

2.     Mark 1 in the box beside the photograph of the candidate of your first choice, mark 2 in the box beside the photograph of the candidate of your second choice, and so on.

3.     Fold the paper to conceal your vote. Show the back of the paper to the presiding officer and put it in the ballot box.

(Back of Paper)

No............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ 

Election for constituency of: ............................................................ ............................................................ .........................

(Back of counterfoil)

Counterfoil No............................................................ ............................................................ ..........................................

Part 4

Form of Ballot Paper to be used in accordance with Part 3 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001

(Front of Paper)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

TREORACHA

1.    Chun do chéad tosaíocht a chlárú, brú an spás ar dheis ghrianghraf an iarrthóra arb é do chéad rogha. I gcóir do dara tosaíochta agus gach tosaíochta ina dhiadh sin, brú an spás ar dheis ghrianghraf an iarrthóra atá i gceist.

2.    Chun tosaíocht a athrú, brú an spás ar dheis ghrianghraf an iarrthóra don dara uair. Glanfar an tosaíocht sin agus gach tosaíocht ina dhiadh.

3.    Leis an vóta a chaitheamh, brú an cnaipe “CAST VOTE(S)” nuair atá do thosaíocht nó do thosaíochtaí cláraithe agat ar an bpáipéar ballóide nó ar na páipéir bhall óide.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    To record your first preference, press the space to the right of the candidate's photograph of your first choice and for your second and subsequent preferences, press the space to the right of each candidate's photograph.

2.    To change a preference, press the space to the right of the candidate's photograph a second time. This will delete that preference and subsequent preferences.

3.    To vote, press the “CAST VOTE(S)” button when you have recorded your preference or preferences on the ballot paper or papers.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

These regulations prescribe the requirements for the provision of photographs to returning officers by candidates at a Dáil election and for the provision of emblems by political parties to the Registrar of Political Parties for their registration in the Register of Political Parties. The regulations amend the form of the ballot paper specified in the Fourth Schedule of the Electoral Act, 1992 to provide for the inclusion of photographs and emblems for manual and electronic voting.