Presiding Officer and Poll Clerk training sessionsXXXX by-election

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Introduction

Add names of trainers

Objectives of the trainingsession

• To provide an overview of the UK parliamentary by-election

• To outline the duties of the polling station staff

• To discuss pre polling day activities• To instruct on the method of setting up the

polling station and consider the customer first approach

• To outline the voting procedure• To review risk• To reinforce administrative arrangements

Overview of theUK Parliamentary by-election

What’s new, what’s important and what can you expect:

•Recent changes (since 2005)– Emergency proxy votes

– Collection of postal votes by RO

– Polling hours

Overview of theUK Parliamentary by-election

What’s new, what’s important and what can you expect:

• Corresponding number list (CNL)– Replaces ballot paper counterfoil

• Official mark– [add details of official mark if not stamping

instrument]

• Unique Identifying Mark (UIM)– [insert details of UIM]

Overview of theUK Parliamentary by-election

What’s new, what’s important and what can you expect:

• Visitors to polling stations– Accredited observers– Electoral Commission representatives– Under 18s accompanying voters

• Clerical errors– Notices (written and verbal)

• Tendered ballot papers– Postal voters who claim not to have applied for

a postal vote– Postal voters who claim not to have received

their ballot paper

Duties of aPresidingOfficer (1)

• Liaise with the key-holder of the building and organise the layout of the polling station

• Instruct and supervise the work of the Poll Clerks• Open and close the polling station on time• Be polite and professional in dealing with voters,

candidates and agents, and others entitled to be present in the polling station

• Act impartially at all times• Account and be responsible for all the ballot papers,

paperwork and ballot box(es)• Ensure the proper procedure for voting is followed

Duties of aPresidingOfficer(2)

• Deal with special voting procedures• Overview issue of ballot papers to voters • Receive postal votes delivered by voters• Liaise with candidates, agents and tellers.

Ensure they do not interfere with the voting process

• Keep the polling station neat and tidy• Ensure that all signs and notices are clear,

visible and remain in place

Duties of aPoll Clerk (1)

• Assist with the layout of the polling station and prepare for the opening of the poll

• Check that electors are eligible to vote in this election and at this polling station

• Check and mark the electors’ electoral numbers in the register of electors

• Enter the electors’ electoral numbers in the CNL

• Issue ballot papers to voters, ensuring they bear the new style official mark

Duties of aPoll Clerk(2)

• Ensure that voters cast their votes in secret• Maintain the secrecy of the ballot at all times• Answer voters’ questions, where appropriate, in a

friendly and professional way• Help with any other polling station duties on the

instructions of the Presiding Officer• Be polite and professional in dealing with voters,

candidates and agents• Act impartially at all times

Countdown topolling day

• Visit polling place and check out contact and access arrangements

• Check out arrangements for ballot box and check contents as soon as possible

• Contact other members of the team• Dress code – impartiality• Read Handbook for polling station staff• Arrive on time

Possible risks • Difficulty making contact with the caretaker or key-holder

• Unable to gain access to the polling station

• Staff failing to turn up or being late• Difficulty of getting access to the polling

station• Problems affecting the display of notices• Wrong registers allocated to the station• The ballot paper numbers issued do not

match those pre-printed on the CNL

Setting up thePolling Station

• Layout – Must work for the voter as well as the staff• Notices – inside and outside• Ballot box location - accessible and secure• Arrange ballot papers in numerical order• Tellers and agents – Who can enter the polling station?• Sealing the box

Polling station layout

Polling station layout

Customer First Diversity• Over 8.6m electors have a disability• 4.5m electors come from black and

minority ethnic communities• 7m electors have literacy problems• 6m electors have dyslexia

Are we prepared?

Customer First How do we care for the electors?• Show a personal interest• Take responsibility and act on own initiative• Be helpful and approachable• Be genuine and human• Listen and empathise with them• Let them run out of steam• Tell them what you can do• Never say the word ‘No’• But, the election rules must be followed. Don’t let

someone get something by shouting etc. that others who are quiet and polite wouldn’t

Who is Eligible?

• Electors with no letters or dates before their name

• Electors who are 18 years of age or over on the day of the election

• Electors with an ‘F’ – overseas voters

Who cannot vote?

• Electors with date of birth on register which shows they are not 18 years of age on polling day

• Electors with an ‘A’ – postal voters• Electors with an ‘E’ before their name • Electors with an ‘G’ before their name• Electors with a ‘K’ before their name• Electors with an ‘L’ before their name

Issuing the ballot papers

Marking the Register and the CNL• Mark electors’ electoral number in the register• Enter the electors’ electoral number in the Corresponding Number List (CNL)

The Ballot Papers• Official mark• Folding the ballot paper

Marking the register

The Corresponding Number List (CNL) BC 27/1

What happens if? • A voter spoils the ballot paper

• A voter has nominated a proxy but the voter arrives before the proxy

• A person arrives to vote but the register indicates the person has already voted

• A person arrives to vote but the register indicates the person is a postal voter

• Emergency proxy voter procedure• A person believes they should be on the

register but they are not listed

The prescribed questions

The prescribed questions must be asked:

• When the Presiding Officer requires them to be

• When a candidate, an election agent or polling agent requests them

• When an elector, listed as a postal voter, states they never received their ballot papers

• When an elector, listed as a postal voter, states they never applied for a postal vote

Postal Votes • Completed postal ballot packs may be brought into the polling station (check they are for the correct ward)

• Procedure for collection of postal ballot packs during the day by the Returning Officer

• Voters with an ‘A’ marked against their name cannot vote in person – Tendered papers for postal voters who claim

not to have applied or received a ballot• Returned postal ballot packs must be sealed and

labelled as instructed

Close of Poll • Must close at 10 pm• Make sure the doors are closed• Anyone who has been issued with a ballot

paper by 10 p.m. must be allowed to vote• However can not issue after 10pm, even if

elector was in a queue at 10pm• Seal ballot box in the presence of

candidates, election and polling agents, accredited observers, Electoral Commission representatives and Police Officers on duty

After close of poll

• Absolutely essential that the ballot paper account is completed accurately

• The ballot paper account must be placed in the envelope provided – keep this with the ballot box

List of packets • Ballot Paper Account• Postal Votes - In accordance with RO’s

instructions• Unused and spoilt Ballot Papers• Tendered ballot papers• Marked copy of the Register and list of

proxies• Corresponding Number List• Certificates of employment• Tendered Voters’ lists etc

A routine dayBUT….. What happens if …

• There is a mistake on the register• Tendered papers are wrongly issued• A person has been missed off the

register• An accident occurs in the polling station• An incident outside the polling station

prevents the PO from leaving for the count

Health andsafety

Managing risk is crucial to the effective outcome of the election

• Be aware to any potential risks to safety• Inspect the premises regularly• If hazards are discovered – find a remedy• If an accident occurs – follow procedures• Be careful when lifting heavy objects

How was it for you?

• Any questions• The Q&A form• Evaluation form• Emergency contact numbers• The Electoral Commission website