Ballots with a tick will count – even if Back Boris is on back

TORY members writing messages of support for Boris Johnson on their ballot papers will not have their votes invalidated.

Ballots will not be negated by scrawled messages, comments or even insults so long as members have made their “intention clear” by ticking a single box, those administering the vote have confirmed.

The clarification follows predictions that pro-Johnson Tories may vent their anger after an attempt to get the Prime Minister’s name on the ballot failed.

Simon Hearn, the managing director of Civica Election Services – the company running the ballot – told The Sunday Telegraph: “Like any election, if the intention of the voter is clear – for one candidate or the other in this particular election – then we’ll count that.

“If there’s anything that doesn’t make that intention clear, then that will be treated as a spoiled ballot.”

This approach has received the endorsement of the Conservative Party Board and Conservative Campaign Headquarters.

Mr Hearn acknowledged there had been particular interest in what might invalidate ballot papers.

“Hypothetically, as long as they ticked one box and then they wrote ‘I’d rather somebody else was on the ballot paper’ it wouldn’t invalidate the vote because they’ve given a preference for one of the two candidates,” he said.

Mr Hearn said that in leadership elections, “you can get a lot of comments because people are aware of the candidates and they express views on them”.

However, a senior Conservative source warned that members should avoid marking their ballot papers with anything more than a cross next to their favoured candidate.

The source said: “I would recommend just putting a cross next to one of their names – or voting online.”

The source said that most members were expected to vote online but given it is the first contest with digital voting “we don’t know for sure”.