Offences in respect of ballot papers and ballot boxes

1 Every person commits an offence against this section who— a forges, or counterfeits, or fraudulently defaces, or fraudulently destroys any ballot paper , or the official mark on any ballot paper : b without due authority supplies any ballot paper to any person: c fraudulently puts into any ballot box any paper other than the ballot paper that he or she is authorised by law to put therein: d fraudulently takes out of a polling place any ballot paper : e without due authority destroys, takes, opens, or otherwise interferes with any ballot box, or box or packet or parcel of ballot papers , then in use for the purposes of an election, or in course of transmission by post or otherwise, or thereafter whenever the same may be kept as a record of the election. 2 Every person who commits an offence against this section shall be liable on conviction ,— a if a Returning Officer or a polling place official in attendance at a polling place, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years: b if any other person, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months. 3 Every person who attempts to commit any offence against this section shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one-half of the longest term to which a person committing the offence may be sentenced. 4 Every person who commits an offence against this section or who attempts to commit an offence against this section is guilty of a corrupt practice. 1956 No 107 s 130; 1990 No 1 s 68 Section 201(1)(a) : amended , on 6 December 1995 , by section 71(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 201(1)(b) : amended , on 6 December 1995 , by section 71(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 201(1)(c) : amended , on 6 December 1995 , by section 71(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 201(1)(d) : amended , on 28 February 2002 , by section 101(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1). Section 201(1)(d) : amended , on 6 December 1995 , by section 71(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 201(1)(e) : amended , on 6 December 1995 , by section 71(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 201(2) : amended , on 1 July 2013 , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81). Section 201(2)(a) : substituted , on 28 February 2002 , by section 101(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1). Section 201(3) : amended , on 1 July 2013 , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).