Under certain conditions an entire ballot may be declared
invalid. These are: (1) More than nine names on ballot paper; (2) Less than
nine names on ballot paper; (3) Duplication of names. Under other conditions,
because of specified irregularities, one or more of the names may be
invalidated but the rest of the ballot would be considered valid. These
irregularities are: (1) A name not identifiable, or illegible; (2) The name of
an ineligible person, such as a youth or person not resident in the
jurisdiction of the voting area, provided of course that each ballot contains
no more or less than nine names and no name has been duplicated.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated July 29, 1971, to a National Spiritual
Assembly; Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998 edition)