Handbook for Polling Station Staff

Handbook for polling station staff Supporting the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections on 5 May 2016 Translations and other formats For information on obtaining this publication in another language or in a large-print or Braille version, please contact the Electoral Commission: Tel: 020 7271 0500 Email: [email protected] Handbook for polling station staff. Order code: GLA16G001E © The Electoral Commission 2016 Contents 1 Introduction 1 Appendix 1 – Equality issues 20 Disabled electors and elections 20 2 The election and the polling Assistance to electors unable to gain station team 2 access to the polling station 20 The Greater London Authority 2 Disabled voters 20 Roles and responsibilities of the polling Blind or partially sighted people 21 station team 2 Deaf-blind people 21 3 Before polling day 4 Deaf people 22 Mental capacity, disability and voting 22 Training for polling station staff 4 Locating the polling station 4 Appendix 2 – Dealing with problems Standards of appearance 4 on the register of electors 23 Contacting other members of the team 5 Age – entitlement to vote 23 Delivery or collection of the ballot box 5 Mis-spelt names and voters who have 4 Polling day: before the poll opens 6 changed their name 23 Other electors 23 Arriving at the polling station 6 A person who is not on the register What happens if the key-holder of electors 23 does not attend? 6 Clerical errors on the register 23 Checking supplies and materials 6 Any other person who is not on the Polling station layout 7 register of electors 24 Signs and notices 8 Who may be present in the polling station? 8 Appendix 3 – Procedure for postal Sealing the ballot box 10 and proxy voters 25 Some last-minute checks 11 Postal voters 25 5 Polling day: opening and Proxy voters 26 conducting the poll 12 Appendix 4 – Electors with an Opening the polling station 12 anonymous register entry 28 Summary of the voting procedure 12 Procedure for issuing ballot papers to Stage one – checking the voter 12 electors with an anonymous entry 28 Stage two – issuing the ballot papers 14 What if an elector with an anonymous Stage three – voting 15 entry appears at the polling station without a poll card? 28 6 The close of poll 17 Procedures 17 Appendix 5a – The Completing the paperwork 18 prescribed questions 29 Packing materials at the polling station 19 Transporting election materials to the count centre 19 Appendix 5b – endered Appendix 10 – Frequently asked ballot papers 33 questions for polling station staff Circumstances in which to issue on polling day 40 tendered ballot papers 33 Procedure for issue 33 Appendix 11 – Polling station Reasons for completing tendered set-up checklist 42 ballot papers 34 Appendix 6 – Security at the polling station 35 Keeping order 35 Serious disturbances or incidents and the adjournment of the poll 35 Dealing with difficult situations 36 Appendix 7 – Procedure for dealing with personation 37 What happens if polling station staff suspect a person of personating an elector or proxy? 37 What happens if an election agent, polling agent or candidate challenges a voter? 37 What happens if someone else (apart from a proxy) appears to have voted on behalf of the voter? 37 Appendix 8 – Guidance on tellers, the media and exit polls 38 Tellers 38 The media 38 Exit polls 38 Appendix 9 – Health and safety 39 Health and safety of polling station staff and electors 39 Lifting heavy objects 39 1 Introduction This handbook is designed to assist polling station staff working at the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections. It describes the procedures to be followed at polling stations and how to deal with any issues that may arise. These are elections for: • The Mayor of London • The 14 Constituency Members of the London Assembly • The 11 London-wide Members of the London Assembly As polling station staff, you play a central role in the elections. Your role is vital in ensuring that voters, political parties, candidates and agents have confidence in the election process. You will receive training on your role, but you should still read this handbook carefully in advance of polling day to ensure that you are familiar with all the processes that are described in it. References are made throughout this handbook to the Returning Officer. This is because most arrangements related to the conduct of the poll are the responsibility of the Returning Officer. In practice, however, it is the electoral administrator who is responsible for the day-to-day running of elections. Polling station staff will be given local contact details prior to polling day and this will most likely be, in the first instance, the elections office. Handbook for polling station staff 1 2 The election and the polling station team The Greater London Authority second preference votes for the remaining two The Greater London Authority (GLA) was candidates are then added to their first created by an Act of Parliament in 1999, preference votes and the candidate with the following a referendum. most votes is elected. Together, the Mayor and the London Assembly Constituency London Assembly Members form the Greater London Authority. The Mayor is Voters vote for their Constituency London Assembly the Authority’s executive and the Assembly’s Member using their YELLOW ballot paper. primary role is to hold the Mayor to account. They are supported by a permanent On this ballot paper, voters are asked to place administrative staff. The Mayor and the whole of an ‘X’ next to the candidate of their choice. the Assembly are elected every four years. Constituency London Assembly Members are elected by the first past the post system. The voting systems London-wide Assembly Members The Mayor of London Voters vote for a London-wide Assembly Voters vote for the Mayor using their PINK Member using their ORANGE ballot paper. ballot paper. On this ballot paper, voters are asked to place • The ballot paper will list all candidates, and an ‘X’ next to the party or individual candidate of voters can vote for a first and second choice their choice. candidate they want to elect. London-wide Assembly Members are elected • Voters vote for their first choice candidate by using a mathematical formula that takes account marking an ‘X’ in the first choice column. of the number of constituency seats won by • Voters vote for their second choice each party/independent and allocates seats on candidate by marking an ‘X’ in the second a proportional basis. choice column. Roles and responsibilities of the • As long as the voter puts an ‘X’ in the first choice column, their vote will be counted. polling station team The role of polling station staff is to ensure that • Voters can choose not to mark a second voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free choice. If they only mark a second choice, from influence and in a calm atmosphere. their vote won’t be counted. Both the Presiding Officer and Poll Clerks should The Mayor is elected under the supplementary be able to carry out each other’s duties if vote system. If a candidate obtains more than required. However, Presiding Officers have an 50% of the first choice votes, they will be overall responsibility for the polling station and declared elected. If no candidate obtains more carry out an additional supervisory role. Also, in than 50% of the first choice votes, all candidates law, there are a number of duties that only except for those in first and second place are Presiding Officers can carry out. These are: eliminated. The ballot papers showing a first preference for one of the eliminated candidates • requesting that a police officer remove someone are checked for their second preference. Any from a polling station (see Appendix 6) 2 Handbook for polling station staff • asking the prescribed questions • monitor the activities of tellers outside polling (see Appendix 5a) places and ensure that they do not interfere • limiting the number of accredited observers with the voting process present at any one time (see Chapter 4) • keep the polling station neat and tidy Duties of the Presiding Officer • ensure that all signs and notices are clear, visible and remain in place throughout the day Presiding Officers are responsible for the conduct of the ballot in the polling station and Where there is more than one polling station they should have a sound knowledge of the in a building, the Returning Officer or election voting procedures. staff may designate one of the Presiding Officers to take an overall responsibility for the The Presiding Officer’s main duties are to: polling place. • comply with any instructions issued by the Returning Officer Duties of the Poll Clerk Poll Clerks do not have the responsibilities of • ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot the Presiding Officer, but they should know all of • organise the layout of the polling station the procedures for voting and how to deal with and liaise, if required, with the key-holder of any problems. the building The Poll Clerk’s main duties are to: • instruct and supervise the work of Poll Clerks • open and close the polling station on time • comply with the instructions of the Returning Officer and the Presiding Officer • maintain order in the polling station • assist with the layout of the polling station • be polite and professional in dealing with and prepare for the opening of the poll electors, candidates and agents, and others entitled to be present in the polling station • be polite and professional in dealing with voters, candidates and agents, • act impartially at all

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