Translations and other formats For information on obtaining this publication 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: GLA21G001 © The Electoral Commission 2021 Handbook for polling station staff – Supporting Mayor of London and London Assembly elections Deaf people 27 Contents Mental capacity, disability and voting 28 Face coverings – exemptions 28 1. Introduction 1 Appendix 2 – Dealing with problems on the register of electors 30 2. The elections and the polling station Age – entitlement to vote 30 team 2 Mis-spelt names and voters who have The Greater London Authority 2 changed their name 30 The voting systems 2 Other electors 30 Roles and responsibilities of the polling A person who is not on the register of station team 2 electors 30 Clerical errors on the register 30 3. Before polling day 5 Any other person who is not on the Training for polling station staff 5 register of electors 31 Locating the polling station 5 Standards of appearance 6 Appendix 3 – Procedure for postal and Contacting other members of the team 6 proxy voters 32 Delivery or collection of the ballot box 6 Postal voters 32 Proxy voters 33 4. Polling day: before the poll opens 7 Arriving at the polling station 7 Appendix 4 – Electors with an What happens if the key-holder does not anonymous register entry 36 attend? 7 Procedure for issuing ballot papers to Checking supplies and materials 7 electors with an anonymous entry 36 Polling station layout 8 What if an elector with an anonymous entry Signs and notices 11 appears at the polling station without a poll Who may be present in the polling station? 11 card? 36 Sealing the ballot box 13 Some last-minute checks 14 Appendix 5a – The prescribed questions 37 The prescribed questions to be asked of a 5. Polling day: opening and conducting person applying to vote as an elector 38 the poll 15 The prescribed questions to be asked of a Opening the polling station 15 person applying to vote as a proxy (but not Summary of the voting procedure 15 on behalf of an elector with an anonymous Stage one – checking the voter 16 entry) 38 Stage two – issuing the ballot papers 18 The prescribed questions to be asked of a Stage three – voting 19 person applying to vote as a proxy for an elector with an anonymous entry 39 6. The close of poll 22 The prescribed questions to be asked of a Procedures 22 person applying to vote in person when they Completing the paperwork 23 are shown on the register as a postal voter 40 Packing materials at the polling station 24 The prescribed questions to be asked of a Transporting election materials to the person applying to vote as a proxy when they agreed reception point 24 are shown as having been issued with postal proxy ballot papers 40 Appendix 1 – Equality issues 25 Disabled electors and elections 25 Appendix 5b – Tendered ballot papers 41 Assistance to electors unable to gain Circumstances in which to issue tendered access to the polling station 25 ballot papers 41 Disabled voters 26 Procedure for issue 41 Blind or partially sighted people 26 Reasons for completing tendered ballot Deaf-blind people 27 papers 42 Handbook for polling station staff – Supporting Mayor of London and London Assembly elections Appendix 6 – Security at the polling station 43 Keeping order 43 Serious disturbances or incidents and the adjournment of the poll 43 Dealing with difficult situations 44 Appendix 7 – Procedure for dealing with personation 45 What happens if polling station staff suspect a person of personating an elector or proxy? 45 What happens if an election agent, polling agent or candidate challenges a voter? 45 What happens if someone else (apart from a proxy) appears to have voted on behalf of the voter? 45 Appendix 8 – Guidance on tellers, the media and exit polls 46 Tellers 46 The media 46 Exit polls 47 Appendix 9 – Health and safety 48 Health and safety of polling station staff and electors 48 Lifting heavy objects 48 Appendix 10 – Frequently asked questions for polling station staff on polling day 49 Appendix 11 – Polling station set-up checklist 52 Outside the polling station 52 Inside the polling station 53 Handbook for polling station staff – Supporting Mayor of London and London Assembly elections There are general public health principles that 1. Introduction everyone should follow in all aspects of daily life to help mitigate the risk of the spread of coronavirus, and these should be followed This handbook is designed to throughout the day at your polling station: assist polling station staff working • Maintain social distancing at the Mayor of London and • Clean hands regularly London Assembly elections. It • Avoid touching your face describes the procedures to be • Wear a face covering, where necessary followed and how to deal with any issues that may arise. If you have coronavirus symptoms you should not attend the polling station and should contact the Returning Officer as soon as It also contains specific guidance, which has possible. been developed in close consultation with our national public health bodies, to help ensure References are made throughout this that polling stations are safe places to vote and handbook to the Returning Officer. This is work during the coronavirus pandemic. because most arrangements related to the These are elections for: conduct of the poll are the responsibility of the relevant Returning Officer, however, it is the • The Mayor of London electoral administrator who is responsible for • The 14 Constituency Members of the the day-to-day running of elections. Polling London Assembly station staff will be given local contact details prior to polling day and this will most likely be, • The 11 London-wide Members of the in the first instance, the elections office. 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. 1 Handbook for polling station staff – Supporting Mayor of London and London Assembly elections The Mayor is elected under the supplementary 2. The elections vote system. If a candidate obtains more than 50% of the first choice votes, they will be declared elected. If no candidate obtains more and the polling than 50% of the first choice votes, all candidates except those in first and second station team place are eliminated. The ballot papers showing a first preference vote for one of the eliminated candidates are checked for their The Greater London Authority second preference. Any second preference votes for the remaining two candidates are The Greater London Authority (GLA) was then added to their first preference votes and created by an Act of Parliament in 1999. It the candidate with the most votes is elected. comprises of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly, along with a permanent Constituency London Assembly Members administrative support staff. Voters vote for their Constituency London Together, the Mayor and the London Assembly Assembly Member using their YELLOW ballot form the Greater London Authority. The Mayor paper. is the Authority’s executive and the Assembly’s primary role is to hold the Mayor to account. On this ballot paper, voters are asked to place They are supported by a permanent an ‘X’ next to the candidate of their choice. administrative staff. The Mayor and the whole of 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 Member using their ORANGE ballot paper. Voters vote for the Mayor using their PINK 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 voters can vote for a first and second of their choice. choice candidate they want to elect. London-wide Assembly Members are elected • Voters vote for their first choice candidate using a mathematical formula that takes by marking an ‘X’ in the first choice column. account of the number of constituency seats • Voters vote for their second choice won by each party/independent and allocated candidate by marking an ‘X’ in the second seats on a proportional basis. choice column. • As long as the voter puts an ‘X’ in the first Roles and responsibilities of the choice column, their vote will be counted. polling station team • Voters can choose not to mark a second The role of polling station staff is to ensure that choice. If they only mark a second choice, voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free their vote won’t be counted. from influence, safely and in a calm atmosphere. 2 Handbook for polling station staff – Supporting Mayor of London and London Assembly elections Both the Presiding Officer and Poll Clerks • ensure that the polling station is regularly should be able to carry out each other’s duties cleaned throughout the day (particularly if required. However, Presiding Officers have touchpoints such as doors, polling booths an overall responsibility for the polling station and any writing implements) and carry out an additional supervisory role. • ensure that the polling station is well Also, in law, there are a number of duties that ventilated where possible, for example by only Presiding Officers can carry out.