Transcript Regional Returning Officer’s Training Seminar

Polling station staff
briefing session
The Northern Ireland Assembly and local
government elections and the referendum on
the voting system for UK Parliamentary
elections – 5 May 2011
Introduction
Counting Officer
Electoral services manager
Objectives of
the training
session
• Your role is key – you are the customer
service face of the elections and
referendum.
• At this session we will:
– outline what we expect you to do on
polling day
– discuss the voting procedure
– think about health and safety issues
– highlight a number of administrative
arrangements
Key aims for
the elections
and
referendum
• that the polls are consistently
administered
• that the process is transparent
• that the polls are professionally delivered
• that they produce accurate results in
which all stakeholders are confident
• that all voters have a good experience,
with any person who is entitled to vote
being able to do so
Voting at the
Northern
Ireland
Assembly and
local
government
elections
• On 5 May 2011 there will be a Northern Ireland
Assembly election to elect MLAs to the Northern
Ireland Assembly
• There will also be local government elections to
district councils in Northern Ireland to elect
councillors
• Both elections will use the Single Transferrable
Vote system (STV)
• Voters record their vote by placing a ‘1’ opposite
the name of the candidate of their first choice and
then ‘2’ opposite the name of the candidate of their
second choice, and so on.
Overview of
the
Referendum
• A referendum is a direct vote in which the
electorate is asked to either accept or
reject a particular proposal
• On 5 May there will be a referendum on
the voting system for UK Parliamentary
elections
• Voters have one vote and should mark a
cross (X) in either the ‘yes’ or the ‘no’ box
on the ballot paper
Provision of
• in response to questions on what
voter
the referendum is about you should
information on
be politically neutral and in no way
the referendum be or be interpreted to be
supporting one option or the other
• use the FAQs document and take
care not to stray from the provided
answers
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 –
management
of the polling
station
• Liaise with the key-holder of the
building
• Organise the layout of the polling
station
• Instruct and supervise the work of
the Poll Clerks
• Account for all the ballot papers,
ballot boxes and paperwork
The Poll
Clerk –
general
duties
•
•
•
•
Assist with the layout of the polling station
and prepare for the opening of the poll
Be polite and professional in dealing with
the voters
Check that electors are eligible to vote in
the referendum and at that polling station
Understand the process for issuing ballot
papers
Countdown to
polling 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
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(s)
• Tendered ballot papers wrongly issued
• Queues building up at the close of poll
The Polling Station
Setting up, layout and who can enter the polling station
Setting up the
polling station
• Layout / notices (see set-up checklist in
Appendix 11 to Polling station handbook)
– must work primarily for the voter
– walk route voter expected to follow
– accessible to all voters
• Location of ballot box(es)
– accessible and secure
• Arrange each set of ballot papers in numerical
order
• Tellers, campaigners and agents
– 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
Candidates and election agents
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 with them
• Allow them 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 election and referendum rules
must be followed at all times, no matter
how insistent, upset or angry they are
• If in doubt, contact the elections office
• Ensure that the voting process is
Customer care accessible to all:
(cont’d)
– layout must work for all voters,
including wheelchair users
– stationery provided in alternative
languages and formats should be
clearly visible
– you must be able to provide
information to disabled electors on
options for voting aided and unaided
Tactile voting
template
• Tactile template needs to be clearly
visible and you should be confident in
using it
• How to use
Who can and cannot
vote?
Using the electoral register and corresponding number list(s)
Who is
eligible to vote
at the Northern
Ireland
Assembly and
local
government
elections?
• Electors with no letters or dates
before their name
• Electors who are 18 years of age or
over
• Electors with a ‘G’ before their
name
• Electors with a ‘K’ before their name
• Electors with an ‘L’ before their
name
Who is
• Electors with no letters or dates
eligible to vote
before their name
at the polling
• Electors who are 18 years of age or
stations at the
over
referendum?
• Electors with an ‘E’ before their
name
• Electors with an ‘F’ before their
name
• Electors with an ‘L’ 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(s) (CNL(s))
– 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
Example
Corresponding
Number List
(CNL)
BC 27/1
Click to: return to slide
Reverse of a
ballot paper
• Some electors may need to have the
Marking the
voting process for both elections
ballot paper for explained to them:
the Northern
• The Single Transferable Vote (STV)
Ireland
system of proportional representation is
used to elect Members of the Assembly
Assembly and
and the Northern Ireland Local
local
Government.
government
• Voters in each constituency vote for as
elections
many candidates as they wish in order of
preference, putting a ‘1’ beside their first
choice, a ‘2’ beside their second choice
and so on.
• Some electors may need to have the
Marking the
ballot paper for referendum voting process explained to
the referendum 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
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 you suspect personation
– when a registered elector is clearly under
age
– when a candidate, an election agent or
polling agent requests them
– always before issuing a tendered ballot
paper
Close of Poll
The procedures to be followed
Close of Poll
• Must close at 10 pm
• Anyone who has been issued with ballot
paper(s) 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(es)
• Candidates and 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(es)
• 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
Health and
safety
• 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
Questions
Additional
Information
• Election team contact
• Electoral Commission website
– www.electoralcommission.org.uk
– www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
• Feedback Sheets