Seanad Electoral Act, 1928

Sending of ballot papers to electors.

11.—(1) On the day appointed for the issue of ballot papers at a Seanad election the Seanad returning officer shall send by registered post to each person whose name is on the electoral roll for that election at the address stated on such roll a ballot paper together with a form of declaration of identity.

(2) Whenever a person to whom a ballot paper for a Seanad election should be sent under the foregoing sub-section states in writing to the Seanad returning officer that more than twenty-four hours have elapsed since such ballot paper should have been delivered to him in the ordinary course of post and that he has not received such ballot paper and that he desires a duplicate ballot paper and declaration of identity to be issued to him, the Seanad returning officer, if such statement is received by him not less than forty-eight hours before the close of the poll at such election, shall forthwith or, if such statement is received by him less than forty-eight hours before the close of the poll at such election, may send by registered post to such person at the address mentioned in the foregoing sub-section a ballot paper and form of declaration of identity which, by being printed on paper of a special colour or otherwise, are clearly distinguished as duplicates of the ballot paper and form of declaration of identity originally sent to such person under this section.

(3) Every declaration of identity shall be in the prescribed form and shall be exempt from stamp duty and shall be a statutory declaration under the Statutory Declarations Act, 1835 , and if made in Saorstát Eireann shall be made before a peace commissioner, commissioner for oaths, or notary public to whom he is personally known, and if made outside Saorstát Eireann shall be made before a person to whom he is personally known and who is authorised by the law of the place in which it is made to administer oaths.

(4) Every person entitled to vote at a Seanad election shall be entitled to vote at that election in the following and no other manner, that is to say, by marking and returning by registered or ordinary post to the Seanad returning officer a ballot paper sent to him under this section together with the form of declaration of identity similarly sent to him therewith duly made and completed by him.

(5) Whenever a person entitled to vote at a Seanad election states in writing to the Seanad returning officer that he duly returned by registered post to the Seanad returning officer a ballot paper and form of declaration of identity sent to him under this section and that the same do not appear to have been delivered to the Seanad returning officer and that he desires a duplicate ballot paper and declaration of identity to be issued to him the Seanad returning officer, if such statement is received by him not less than forty-eight hours before the close of the poll at such election, shall forthwith or, if such statement is received by him less than forty-eight hours before the close of the poll at such election, may send by registered post to such person at the address mentioned in the first sub-section of this section a ballot paper and form of declaration of identity which, by being printed on paper of a special colour or otherwise, are clearly distinguished as duplicates of the ballot paper and form of declaration of identity originally sent to such person under this section.

(6) The Seanad returning officer in sending out, receiving, and otherwise dealing with the ballot papers at a Seanad election shall observe the rules contained in the First Schedule to this Act.