Beginning of the election procedure

(1) The election procedure is started by the returning officer at the set hour on election day in the polling station intended for this purpose. He or she presents the electoral roll together with the prepared vote record (specimen copy in schedule 5) and if need be an electronic vote record (§ 68 para 5), the ballot paper envelopes and the official ballot papers (§ 75, § 76) to the elections authorities and informs them of the regulations set out in § 17 and § 18 concerning the ability of the elections authorities to constitute a quorum. The returning officer has also to report the number of official ballot papers received in return of an acknowledgement of receipt (§ 75, para 3). He/she has to verify this number (§ 75, § 76) in the presence of the election officials and enter it in the official record.

(2) Just before the opening of poll, the returning officer has to make sure that the ballot box intended for the collection of ballot papers is empty.

(3) The poll is opened by the casting of the vote by the members of the elections authorities, any assistants present, the persons of confidence and the election witnesses. Should these persons be entered into the electoral roll of an election community, other than the one where they are working, they can only vote in the presence of the elections authority, for which they are working, when in possession of a voting card. Otherwise, the regulations concerning voting with voting cards set out in § 68 and § 70 apply.