Mr. Joseph Burke:

There is a uniform approach but, again, there is a discretion exercised by the person doing the adjudication. Certainly, in my constituencies, I do not do all the adjudications. I have deputy returning officers, but we are all operating off the same principles. I would be surprised if there were any significant difference between what one of us decides from the other. We are always trying, insofar as we can, to ensure that the vote is allowed in. It is not a process of excluding votes. It is to try to allow a vote in if we can but if there is a clear reason we cannot, we exclude it. That is what the adjudication process is for. We do it in conjunction with the agents and candidates. We listen to the arguments that are put forward during the adjudication process and we then decide. We are all operating from the same principles as set out, however.