![Page 1: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
1
European Parliament Elections 2014
Mark Heath
![Page 2: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
2
Background
• The European Parliament Elections (EPEs) are held every 5 years.
• Last EPEs - 4 June 2009. Next - 22nd May 2014• Results will be announced on Sunday 25 May,
after voting has closed throughout the 28 member states at 9:00PM
![Page 3: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
3
There are 12 electoral regions in the UK
Each has a Regional Returning Officer (RRO)
MEPs are elected under a proportional representation system - the d’Hondt system
There is a regional list system with seats allocated to parties in proportion to their share of the vote cast in that region.
The UK will elect 73 MEPs in 2014
![Page 4: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
4
Law
• European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002• EPE Regulations 2004 (as amended by the
European Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2013) – “the conduct regulations”– Reg 6 – Role of LRO / RRO and conduct of poll– Reg 7 – Power to appoint deputies
![Page 5: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
5
– Reg 9: • Rules for conduct of election -Sched 1• Powers of direction by RRO / duty to encourage
participation(LRO and RRO) / power to correct clerical errors(RRO and LRO)
• Power to correct errors(see later)• Duty to encourage participation(RRO/LRO)
![Page 6: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
6
– Reg 15 - Payments to RRO / LRO(Reg 15A – withholding payments)
– Reg 23 + - Election offences– Reg 67 + Schedule 8 – Use of schools and rooms
for election meetings – note role of local authority– Sched 1 - Election Rules– Sched 2 – Absent Voting (postals, proxies etc)– Sched 3 – Modifications to Election Rules for
combined polls
![Page 7: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
7
The RRO and the LRO
RRO responsibilities• Overall management across their Region;• Publishing Notice and taking Nominations;• Receiving Agent appointments;• Determining form of ballot paper;• Receiving/collating verification figures;• Receiving local results;• Calculating result;• Publishing results.
![Page 8: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
8
• LRO responsibilities• Publication of Notices, as directed by RRO;• Printing ballot papers;• Dealing with postal votes, proxies, etc.;• Conduct of the Poll in local counting area;• Issue of poll cards;• Verification;• Secure storage;• Local Count;• Publication of result locally, when approved by RRO.
![Page 9: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
9
![Page 10: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
10
Combination - Key Issues
• Local elections / Council Tax referendum / Neighbourhood Planning Referendum etc.;
• A lot more paperwork and procurement;• Plan staffing for PV issues and return;• Take care on combined issue for PVs;• A much bigger task at verification;• Different agents for Euro and local;• Effectively two or more separate election projects
with (significant) overlaps.
![Page 11: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
11
Not the servant of the Board, but ‘the servant of the Act’
![Page 12: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
12
Key Roles for Returning Officers
• To see that everyone who is eligible has the opportunity to vote;
• To ensure that eligible candidates who wish to are able to stand;
• To ensure that the choice of the electorate is implemented; and
• To maintain the integrity of the democratic system.
![Page 13: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
13
Personal requirements
• Understand the role and the function;• Know what has to be done;• Arrange resources;• Demonstrate leadership;• Plan for the unexpected (risk management);• Be decisive.
![Page 14: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
14
The common factors when it has gone wrong…
• No proper project planning;• No risk assessment and risk management;• Lack of staff training;• Ignoring the basics;• Not following the law;• Outsourcing without proper procurement and
checking procedures.
Basically –professional project management.
![Page 15: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
15
Key messages
• Plan and manage all stages of the process;• Have a clear management chain and know your role
within it;• If errors occur – don’t panic, but seize the initiative and
act decisively;• Take legal advice where possible;• Record carefully what happened, action taken and
why;• Stick to the law – shield and sword; • Remember the 4 key roles….
![Page 16: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
16
What we know…..
• Who the designated RROs are;
• Ballot paper colour (white);
• The date of election – 22nd May 2014;• Conduct rules - European Parliamentary Elections
(Amendment) Regulations 2013;
• Indemnity, not insurance for EPEs;
– Remember to check what you have in place locally for any
other polls and check the excess
![Page 17: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
17
• Job descriptions for RRO / LRO;
• Election timetable;• New Performance Indicators from the Electoral
Commission;• There will be a Fees and Charges Order +
guidance shortly…..
![Page 18: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
18
Candidates / Parties
• How many? Is there a printer capacity issue? If
so, what is your contingency plan?
• Free mailings –Reg 63;
• “Celebrities”;
• RRO will have Comms arrangements – LRO?
![Page 19: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
19
Sweep
To sweep, or not to sweep?
![Page 20: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
20
Power to correct procedural errors
• EPE Regs 2004 - Reg 9(4A) ;• LRO / RRO “may take such steps as s/he thinks
appropriate to remedy any act or omission on his part, or on the part of a relevant person”;
• Relevant persons include ERO, PO, provider of goods or services, an appointed deputy;
• Cannot cover recounting votes after declaration of ‘wrong’ result(Reg 9(4B));
• If used, check with RRO 1st (I would suggest)and keep notes of what you did and why….
A shield – not a sword.
![Page 21: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
21
Also – “Don’t Panic”
• The law assumes that the RO will run the election independently, and properly;
• On petition, the Courts will only interfere if the election was not run substantially in accordance with the law and the rules - AND any breach materially affected the result (Reg 9(5)).
![Page 22: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
22
A quick word about numbers…
• The accuracy of the Count process is a key part of getting it right;
• It starts with verification of the ballot boxes against the ballot paper accounts;
• Verification figure is vital;• Accuracy is vital through to the counting of votes for each
candidate or party;• If there are material discrepancies anywhere, that will lead
to mistrust of the process, and of the result.
• If it’s not right, it’s wrong!
![Page 23: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
23
Fraud: cause for concern
• Registration;• Postal Votes;• Proxies;• Undue pressure;• Bribery.
• Electoral Commission Report – January 2014 - Electoral fraud in the UK
![Page 24: European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062518/56649c8f5503460f94948b3a/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region
24
Fraud – what to do?
• Every force should have a single point of contact on electoral issues;
• Know your SPOC;• Record all details, so there is a prime record;• Pass it to the Police.