Bureau’s presiding officer

1. The presiding officer shall have within the polling premises exclusive authority to keep order, ensure electors’ freedom and preserve observance of the law.

2. The presiding officer shall ensure that the entrance of the polling premises is at all times freely accessible to all persons entitled to vote.

3. Without prejudice to section 76, the following persons shall have a right to enter the premises of election wards: electors allotted to the ward, representatives of candidatures and candidates themselves, election proxies and polling controllers, public notaries- to attest to any action relating to the voting that is not in breach of the secrecy of voting-, constables, should their presence be requested by the presiding officer, members of Electoral Commissions, first-instance judges and their delegates and finally any persons appointed by the Administration to obtain information about the results of the count.

4. Nobody may enter the premises of an election ward with weapons or instruments than can be used as such. The presiding officer shall direct that any person in breach of this prohibition be expelled at once.

5. Notaries may attest, without any special authorization being required, to any action relating to the voting, even those taking place outside their own district, provided they occur in the same province. They shall also be available during the polling day to parties, coalitions, federations and groupings of candidates, either at their own place of residence or in the office where they usually discharge their functions.