Polling Station Staff Briefing Session

1. Polling Station Staff Briefing Session European Parliamentary election 4 June 2009

2. Introduction Local Returning Officer Electoral Services Manager

3. Objectives of the trainingsession • In order to prepare for the election we will: • outline the European Parliamentary election • discuss the duties of the polling station staff • look at pre-polling day activities • look at the set up of the polling station • outline those entitled to be present at the polling station • discuss the voting procedure • think about health and safety issues • highlight administrative arrangements

4. Overview of the Elections 2009 • On 4th June there will be elections to the European Parliament across the UK • Polling hours: 7am to 10pm

5. It is essential that you… Act impartially at all times Comply with any instructions issued by the Local Returning Officer Ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot

6. The Presiding Officer –management of the polling station • Ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot • 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 • Be responsible and account for all the ballot papers, ballot boxes and paperwork • Ensure that proper procedure is followed, including ensuring that the corresponding number list is marked correctly.

7. The PresidingOfficer –practical tasks • Practical Tasks • Overview of issue of ballot papers to voters • Deal with special voting procedures • Ask the prescribed questions when necessary • Receive postal votes delivered by voters • Manage the attendance of those entitled to be present in the polling station, and ensure they do not interfere with the voting process • Monitor the activities of tellers • Keep the polling station neat and tidy • Ensure that all signs and notices are clear, visible and remain in place

8. The Poll Clerk- general duties • Comply with the instructions of the Local Returning Officer and the Presiding Officer • Assist with the layout of the polling station and prepare for the opening of the poll • Be polite and professional in dealing with voters, candidates, agents and others entitled to be present • Check that electors are eligible to vote in the election and at that polling station • Ensure that voters cast their votes in secret • Maintain the secrecy of the ballot at all times

9. The Poll Clerk – specific tasks • Check and mark the elector numbers in the register of electors • Enter the electors’ elector numbers on the Corresponding Number List (CNL) • Issue ballot papers to voters, ensuring they bear the official mark • Ensure that voters cast their votes in secret • Help with any other polling station duties on the instructions of the Presiding Officer

10. Countdown topolling day • Essential tasks • Visit polling place and check out contact and access arrangements • Check out arrangements for ballot box collection and check contents as soon as possible • Contact other members of the team • Dress code – ensure clothing reflects professionalism and impartiality but is also comfortable • Read Handbook for polling station staff

11. Handbook for polling station staff and quick guide

12. Polling station inspectors • Supplies of stationery and equipment • Responsible for • Checking layout of stations • Checking things are running smoothly • Collect any returned postal votes • Distribute payments • Contact numbers

13. Risks • Can’t make contact with key-holder • Can’t gain access to the polling station • Staff failing to turn up or being late • Problems affecting the display of notices • Wrong registers allocated to the station • The ballot paper numbers do not match those pre-printed on the CNL

14. The Polling Station

15. Setting up thepolling station • Layout • must work primarily for the voter • walk route voter expected to follow • accessible to all voters • Notices • – inside and outside polling • Location of ballot box(es) • accessible and secure • Arrange each set of ballot papers in numerical order • Tellers and agents • Who can enter the polling station? • Sealing the box

16. Polling station layout

17. Polling station layout

18. Who can enter the polling station? • Voters • Local/Regional Returning Officer and staff • Candidates (party list and individual), their election agents, sub-agents and polling agents • Police officers on duty • Representatives of the Electoral Commission • Accredited observers • Under 18s accompanying voters • Companions of voters with disabilities

19. Two types of ID issued by the Electoral Commission

20. Customer care • How do we care for the electors? • Show a personal interest • Take responsibility and act on own initiative • Be helpful and approachable • Listen and empathise with them • Allow them to put their point across before responding • Tell them what you can do • But the election rules must be followed at all times

21. Customer care • Ensure that the voting process is accessible to all: • layout must work for all voters, including wheelchair users • stationery provided in alternative languages and formats should be clearly visible • tactile template needs to be clearly visible and you should be confident in using it • you must be able to provide information to disabled electors on options for voting aided and unaided

22. Who can vote? • Using the electoral register and corresponding number lists • Chapter 5 Polling station handbook

23. 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’ before their name • Electors with a ‘K’ before their name • Electors with an ‘L’ before their name • Electors with an ‘E’ before their name • Electors who have registered anonymously who have an ‘N’ instead of a name

24. Who cannot vote? • Electors with date of birth on register which shows they are not 18 years of age on polling day • Electors with a ‘G’ before their name • Electors with an ‘A’ before their name

25. Issuing the ballot papers • Marking the register and the CNL • Mark electors’ elector number in the register • Enter the electors’ elector number on the Corresponding Number List (CNL) • Do NOT write the elector number on the ballot paper! • Ballot papers • Official mark • Unique Identifying Mark (UIM) • Folding the ballot paper

26. Marking the register • Return to ‘issuing the ballot papers’

27. The Corresponding Number List (CNL) • Return to ‘issuing the ballot papers’ BC 27/1

28. Back of ballot paper

29. Marking the ballot paper • Some electors may need to have the voting process explained to them: • Voters have one vote. They can vote for a party (and its list of candidates) or for an individual candidate and should place a cross in the blank box next to the party or individual candidate they wish to vote for.

30. 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 • there is a disturbance at the polling station

31. The prescribed questions • The prescribed questions must be asked: • when the Presiding Officer requires them to be • when polling station staff suspect personation • when a registered elector is clearly under age • when polling station staff suspect the elector or proxy may be incapacitated due to alcohol or drugs or for some other reason • when a candidate, an election agent or polling agent requests them • always before issuing a tendered ballot paper

32. voters can hand in their postal votes at polling stations in the same local counting area (check they are for the area) • procedure for collection of postal ballot packs by the Local Returning Officer during the day • ‘A’ markers cannot be given a ballot paper at the polling station: • direct to Local Returning Officer for replacement (before 5pm) • tendered ballot paper procedure • returned postal ballot packs must be sealed and labelled as instructed Postal Votes

33. Close of Poll

34. 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 pm must be allowed to vote • However cannot 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. Agents entitled to affix seal.

35. 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 • Ensure all documents placed in correct packets and signed as appropriate

36. What happens if … • tendered papers are wrongly issued • an accident occurs in the polling station • an incident outside the polling station prevents the Presiding Officer from leaving for the count

37. Health andsafety • Never put the safety of anyone inside the • polling station at risk • 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

38. Questions

39. Additional Information • Election Team Contacts • ESM • Staffing Officer • Polling Station Officer • Electoral Commission website • www.electoralcommission.org.uk • www.aboutmyvote.co.uk • Feedback Sheets