Transcript ELECTORAL SERVICES - Solace Enterprises

Electoral Services
A ‘Growth Industry’?
David Cook,
Chief Executive & Returning Officer,
Kettering Borough Council
The Electoral Services Landscape
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More polls
Differing voting systems
More regulation
Higher public and media
profile
New system of
registration
Individuals and not
households
Compulsory or not?
Impact on registration
levels
In Short
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MORE
– Complexity
– Volume
– Aggro
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LESS
– Resource
– Sympathy
– Support
Polls in the next 5 years?
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May 2012
Locals (GLA); Mayoral Referendums ; Council Tax
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Nov 2012
Police & Crime Commissioners; Mayoral elections;
Neighbourhood Planning Referendums
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May 2013
Locals ; Council Tax;
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June 2014
Locals; European Parliamentary; Neighbourhood
Planning; Council Tax;
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May 2015
UK Parliamentary; Locals; Neighbourhood Planning;
Council Tax; House of Lords
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May 2016
Police & Crime Commissioners s; Locals (GLA); Council
Tax; Neighbourhood Planning; Mayoral elections
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May 2017
Locals; Council Tax; Neighbourhood. Planning;.
plus…….
Individual Electoral
Registration
As well as
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2012 Secondary legislation
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2013 System and transition
building
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2014 Write-out to
households
2015 Household Enquiries
2015 First complete ‘IER’
Register
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Absent Voter PI Refreshes,
Community Governance
Reviews,
Parliamentary Constituency
Boundary Reviews
Principal Area Boundary
Reviews
By Elections,
Parish Polls,
pre IER registration
canvasses
MP Recall Petitions
Other Referendums
Who are we working with?
Home Office
Cabinet Office
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Overall responsibility for electoral
policy matters
Leading on cross-cutting
developments in electoral policy
(such as IER)
Legislation & funding for all national
polls
Legislation for local elections in
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Legislation & funding for PCC elections
Electoral Commission (from 2001)
Other Government Departments
AEA (from 1987)
ACPO/Police
CLG
Other stakeholder organisations
eg. Scope, RNIB, community groups
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Responsibility for the timing and
funding of local elections, and
boundaries for local electoral areas in
England and Wales
Responsibility for Localism Act
initiatives, including;
- Mayoral referendums
- Council Tax referendums
- Neighbourhood Planning referendums
Royal Mail
Suppliers
What’s immediately in front of us in 2012 ?
 May
elections for some
 PCC Elections in November (and Mayoral
Elections for some)
 Referendums
– Mayoral; Council Tax; Neighbourhood
Planning
 2012
Canvass
– Early publication of Register?
PCC Elections – Issues to Consider 1
PAROs – use of Power of Direction
 Liaison with LROs
 Project Teams in place
 How many Candidates?
 Impact of Nomination and Deposit Requirements
 Supplementary Vote – Staff and Public
Awareness
 New format for Ballot Papers
 Verification/Count – Location?
 Results Collation processes?
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PCC Elections – Issues to Consider 2
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PAROs will have a power of direction – they need to
consider how it will be used
Nomination = Proposer, Seconder and 98 signatories
plus £5000 deposit – Impact on Independents
Responsibility for encouraging participation in their area
likely to rest with PAROs and LROs – joint media
strategy?
Consistency of ballot paper formats? Possible or not?
Verification and Count venues – central, local or a
mixture?
LRO likely to have responsibility for local results; PARO
for area results
Legislation ?
Logistics
Running an Election in the Winter
Adequate lighting on polling station access
routes and the building?
 Wet leaves gathering on the access route?
 Is frost likely to be a problem?
 Any evidence of anti-social behaviour?
 Any other hazards? (Dead horses!)
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Election Agents Meeting
Agenda
1. Welcome and Returning/Counting Officer’s Comments
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Communications
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Integrity
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Frivolous Complaints
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Do’s and Don’ts
2. Polling Station Matters
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Burton Latimer
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Other New Polling Stations
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Attendance at Polling Stations (Agents, Candidates and Tellers)
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Boundary Matters
3. The Referendum
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Regional role
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Verification/Count Timeline
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Attendance at Verification/Count & Polling Stations
(Agents, Candidates & Tellers)
4. Poll Cards
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Mailing
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Content
5. Postal Votes
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Issue dates
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Opening dates and times
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Attendance at opening
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Checking of Identifiers
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Signatures
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Lost/Spoilt Postal Votes
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Collection from Polling Stations
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Local Code of Conduct
6. Pre-polling day
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Nominations
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Inspection and Objection
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The Register of Electors
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Supply of Lists
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Deadlines for Absent Voting and Registration
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Supply of forms for the above
7. Polling day
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Polling Station Inspectors
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Tellers and Polling Agents
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Delivery of Ballot Boxes
8. Verification and Count
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Venue
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Time
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Arrangements for Access/Attendance
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Processes
9. After Polling Day
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Marked Registers
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Receipted Postal Votes List
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Return and Declaration of Election Expenses
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Inspection and Supply of Documents
10. Any other Items from the Agents
The Count
Signing in and signing up to acceptable
behaviour guidelines
 ‘Who does what Guide’
 Information Points
 Media access
 Room set up
 The Count Process
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Behaviour Guidelines
The following guidelines have been developed to ensure the smooth running of
The Count
Yes please:
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Wear your lanyard and badge at all times
Comply with the rules on the requirements
for secrecy at the count
Count Agents please only ask questions of
the count supervisor and not the count staff
Use the information points to compare
results including previous years
Candidates may wish to familiarise
themselves with the media area for
interview and comment
Use the refreshment points provided
Use the television points to keep up with
national events
No thank you:
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Do not interfere with the work of the
election staff in any way or touch a ballot
paper
Please do not switch your mobile phone
on or use it in the count hall
Do not use a camera in the count venue
(unless you are Press and are within the
designated press area)
Do not bring alcohol or food into the count
venue
Do not engage in inappropriate behaviour
(to be determined by the Acting Returning
Officer in his absolute discretion)
Please note that those permitted entry into the Count Hall will only be granted access once they have signed to
say that they will abide by the above guidelines.
This is very important in order to ensure the smooth running of the count
The Count
Signing in and signing up to acceptable
behaviour guidelines
 ‘Who does what Guide’
 Information Points
 Media access
 Room set up
 The Count Process
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The Count Process
The Count at SV Elections
SV Counts are new to most people
 Get some learning!
 Timing of Verifications and Counts
 Counting Conditions - Heating, Lighting etc
 Core Teams
 Breaks between processes
 Processes – Templates; Colour Coding; Audit
Trails; Transparency
 Doubtful Ballot Paper Adjudications
 Reliable outcome
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Role of the Electoral Commission
Directions for the 2011 AV Referendum
 Views differ – any thoughts?
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Performance Standards in 2012 and onwards
 Timing of Counts
 Accuracy and Completeness of Registers
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Direction or Performance Standard?
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‘The Returning Officer
must demonstrate that
they have prepared a
project plan, that it is
treated as a ‘living
document’ and kept
under regular review, and
is used to monitor
progress and report on
lessons learnt’
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‘Prepare a project
plan, keep it under
review and use it as a
tool to monitor
progress. ‘
Be prepared!!
Adequate staffing
– Especially in October and November
 Support from your members
 Project plans reviewed and in place
 Risk Registers reviewed and in place
 Project Teams in place
 Liaise with colleagues and stakeholders
 Learn the new stuff!!
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