Transcript Polling station handbook

Polling station staff
briefing session
The National Assembly for Wales Referendum
3 March 2011
Introduction
Counting Officer
Electoral Services Manager
Objectives of
the training
session
• Your role is key – you are the customer
service face of the referendum.
• At this session we will:
– outline what we expect you to do on
polling day
– discuss the voting procedure
– highlight a number of administrative
arrangements
Overview of
the Wales
Referendum
• A referendum is a direct vote in which the
electorate is asked to either accept or
reject a particular proposal
• On 3 March 2011 there will be a
referendum on the powers of the National
assembly for Wales
•
Polling hours: 7am to 10pm
It is essential that you…
– act impartially at all times
– comply with any instructions issued by the Counting Officer
– ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot
The Presiding
Officer
• Presiding Officers have an overall
responsibility for managing the polling
station on polling day
• Key tasks include:
– checking the layout of the polling
station
– instructing and supervising the work of
the Poll Clerks
– accounting for all the ballot papers,
ballot boxes and paperwork
The Poll
Clerk
• Assists the Presiding Officer with
polling station duties
• Poll Clerks do not have the
responsibilities of the Presiding
Officer, but they must know all of the
procedures for voting and how to
deal with any problems
Countdown to
polling day
• Essential tasks
– Visit polling place and check out
access arrangements
– Contact other members of the team
– Check ballot box contents as soon as
possible after collection
– Dress code – ensure clothing reflects
professionalism and impartiality but is
also comfortable
Polling station
inspectors
• Spare supplies of stationery and
equipment
• Responsible for
– Checking layout of stations
– Checking things are running smoothly
– Being aware of and dealing with any
queues
– Collecting any returned postal votes
• Contact numbers
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
• Tendered ballot papers wrongly issued
• Queues building up close to the close of
poll
The polling station
Setting up the
polling station
• Layout / notices (see set-up checklist in
Appendix 11 to Polling station handbook)
– must work for the voter
– walk route voter expected to follow
– accessible to all voters
• Location of ballot box
– accessible and secure
• Arrange ballot papers in numerical order
• Tellers and campaigners
– who can enter the polling station?
• Sealing the box(es)
Polling station
layout
Polling station
layout
Who can enter
the polling
station?
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Voters
Counting Officer and staff
Referendum agents
Polling agents
Police officers on duty
Representatives of the Electoral Commission
Accredited observers
Under 18s accompanying voters
Companions of voters with disabilities
Two types of ID
issued by the
Electoral
Commission
Customer care • Show a personal interest
• Be helpful and approachable
• Listen and empathise
• Allow people to put their point across
before responding
• Don’t say ‘No’ - tell them what you can do
for them and what they can do
• BUT the referendum rules must be
followed at all times, no matter how
insistent, upset or angry anyone is
• If in doubt, contact the elections office
Customer care • It is important that when dealing with
electors’ questions on the referendum
your impartiality is not called into
question.
• So what happens if you are asked what
the referendum is about?
– Stick to the wording in the FAQs in the
polling station quick guide
– Point enquirer to the poster listing the 20
subject areas that the Assembly is
responsible for
• Ensure that the voting process is
Customer care 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
Who can and cannot
vote?
Using the electoral register and corresponding number lists
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 a ‘G’ or ‘K’– these are
citizens of EU member states
• Electors with an ‘L’
• Electors who have registered
anonymously who have an ‘N’ instead of a
name
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 ‘F’ before their name
Issuing the
ballot papers
• Marking the register and the CNL
– Make the elector confirm their name
– 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
– Open up fully so the whole paper is
visible.
– Official mark
– Ballot paper number and unique
Identifying Mark (UIM)
Marking the
register
BC
Red Dragon
Walk
JP12 7AS
411 G
Vella, Gosia
412 F
Taber, Louise
413 K
Vella, Kostas
414--------- ----------- Brown, Robert
415
Evans, Gareth
416--------- ------------ Barker, Peter
417
Jolly, Simon
418 A
Bishop,
Stephanie
418/1
02 Feb Smith, Ben
1
1
1
3
5
7
7
13
13
• Click to return to slide
The
Corresponding
Number List
(CNL)
BC 27/1
• Click to return to slide
Back of ballot
paper
Marking the
ballot paper
• Some electors may need to have the
voting process explained to them:
– voters have one vote, and should place a
cross (X) in either the ‘yes’ or the ‘no’ box
– If they vote for more than one choice, their
ballot paper will not be counted
• Some electors can get assistance:
– The Presiding Officer can mark the ballot
paper
– The Presiding Officer can fit the template
on the paper and read out the options
– A companion can assist the elector
What
happens if…?
• you are handed a certificate of employment
• 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
• a person arrives wanting to vote as an emergency
proxy
• a person believes they should be on the register
but they are not listed
• there is a disturbance at the polling station
The
prescribed
questions
• The prescribed questions must be asked:
– when the Presiding Officer requires them
to be
– when you suspect personation
– when a registered elector is clearly under
age
– when a referendum agent or polling agent
asks for them to be asked
– before issuing a tendered ballot paper
Postal votes
• voters can hand in their postal votes at
any polling station in the local authority
area
• recieved postal ballot packs must be
sealed and labelled as instructed
• [insert procedure for collection of postal
ballot packs by the Counting Officer
during the day]
Postal votes
• ‘A’ markers cannot be given an ordinary
ballot paper at the polling station:
– direct to Counting Officer for replacement
(before 5pm)
– tendered ballot paper procedure after 5pm
• exception: where elector claims never to
have applied for a postal vote. In such
case, they would be eligible for a tendered
ballot paper at any time if they do not wish
or are unable to apply to the Counting
Officer for a replacement.
Close of Poll
Close of Poll
• Must close at 10 pm
• Anyone who has been issued with a ballot
paper by 10 pm must be allowed to vote
• Do not issue after 10pm, even if elector
was in a queue at 10pm
• Seal ballot box in the presence of any
agents, accredited observers and
Electoral Commission representatives.
• Agents entitled to affix seals now that the
polls have closed.
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
• Poll Clerks to assist packing up station to
allow Presiding Officer to do these
important tasks
• during the day tendered papers
What
happens if … 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?
Health and
safety
• Never put the safety of anyone inside the
polling station at risk
• Look out for 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
Questions
Additional
Information
• Election team contacts
– Electoral Services Manager
– Officer responsible for staffing issues
– Officer responsible for polling stations
• Electoral Commission website
– www.electoralcommission.org.uk
– www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
• Feedback sheets