Working at elections

Job descriptions

• Poll Clerk

  Job Title: Poll Clerk

  Job Type: Administrative

  Date and Time: Thursday 2 May 2024 – 6.15am to 10.30pm

  Pay: £212 (including an online training fee) + mileage

  Key responsibilities and activities:

  • Ensure that voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere.
  • Ask for and check voter identification before issuing ballot papers.
  • Ensuring electors understand the new voter identification requirements including what constitutes an acceptable form of ID.
  • Ensuring electors are able to present their ID in private when requested.
  • Comply with any instructions from the Presiding Officer and/or Returning Officer.
  • Ensure that all electors are treated with respect and receive the same experience wherever they are and whatever time they vote.
  • You must always ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot.
  • Deal with members of the public in a helpful, polite, and professional manner.
  • Support disabled voters use any special equipment or devices.
  • You cannot be employed if you have carried out any duties on behalf of any political party or candidate at the election.

  Duties:

  • Comply with instructions and attend training.
  • Help the Presiding Officer to set up the polling station, taking into account the needs of all voters, including: 
    • Putting up signs, statutory notices and voter instructions inside and outside the polling station.
    • Setting up polling booths.
    • Prepare the polling station for a 7am opening.
  • Be aware of access issues and familiarise yourself with any special equipment or devices to help voters with disabilities.
  • Maintain the secrecy of the ballot.
  • Organise the polling station layout, taking into account all voters’ needs.
  • Keep the polling station neat and tidy.
  • Ask voters to show their photo identification and check the photo is a reasonable likeness before giving out a ballot paper.
  • Refer identification checks to the Presiding Officer if you are not sure an identification is valid. 
  • Ensure voters can cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere.
  • Check and mark electors off the polling station register and complete other official paperwork.
  • Giver voters ballot papers and make sure they put them into the ballot box.
  • Help with any other polling station duties when asked to by the Presiding Officer.
  • Be polite and professional when dealing with all visitors to the polling station, remaining politically impartial at all times.
  • Once the polls have closed and all votes have been cast, help to dismantle the polling station, leaving the premises as you found it.

  Skills, knowledge and experience:

  • Basic understanding of the voting process.
  • Good communication skills.
  • Commitment to customer care and equal opportunities.
  • Good administrative skills and attention to detail.
  • Punctual and reliable.

   

  Person specification:

  Criteria	Attributes (essential/desirable)
  Knowledge	Desirable Working knowledge of the electoral process.
  Skills and abilities	Essential Ability to carry out work as instructed, even under pressure. Desirable Experience of working at a polling station.
  Other	Essential Ability to remain politically neutral. Good timekeeping. Desirable Diplomacy and tact when working with members of the public.
  	Essential Able to travel to your polling station at the required times.

• Presiding Officer

  Job Title: Presiding Officer

  Job Type: Supervisory

  Date and Time: Thursday 2 May 2024 – 6.00am to 11pm + pre polling day station visit + pick up and drop off of ballot box/equipment at the Horizon Business Centre.

  Pay: £360.50 (Including a preparation and training fee) + mileage

  Key responsibilities and activities:

  • Responsible for the conduct of the ballot in the polling station.
  • Responsible for the management of your polling staff.
  • Ensuring the accurate delivery of the poll and account for all ballot papers. 
  • Ensuring that voter identification is asked for and checked before ballot papers are issued.
  • Ensuring electors understand the new voter identification requirements including what constitutes an acceptable form of ID.
  • Ensuring electors are able to present their ID in private when requested.
  • Responsible for refusing a voter a ballot paper where no ID is presented; or you do not consider the ID to be a good likeness; or consider it to be a forgery.
  • Comply with any instructions from the Returning Officer and their staff.
  • Ensure that all electors are treated with respect and receive the same experience wherever they are and whatever time they vote.
  • You must always ensure the secrecy and security of the ballot.
  • Liaise with the key holder and plan for the opening and closing of your polling building. You should also visit your polling station in advance to ensure polling day arrangements are in place.
  • Contact your Poll Clerk(s), and any other Presiding Officer(s) appointed to the same polling place, at least a week before polling day.
  • Collect your ballot box(s) and equipment before polling day at your allocated time slot. The ballot box(s) must be kept in a secure environment until polling day.
  • Responsible for setting up your polling stations and leaving the building in a neat and secure state.
  • Ensure your polling stations open and close at the required times.
  • Be responsible for assigning work to the polling station staff and ensuring that the correct procedure for voting is followed.
  • Deal with members of the public in a helpful, polite, and professional manner.
  • Support disabled voters in using any special equipment or devices.
  • Completion of the ballot paper account and all other paperwork, including the ballot paper refusal list and voter ID evaluation form.
  • You cannot be employed if you have carried out any duties on behalf of any political party or candidate at the election.

  Duties:

  • Attend training and any briefing sessions, and comply with Returning Officer’s instructions.
  • Collect ballot box and its contents two days before polling day and keep it secure.
  • Liaise with the polling station keyholder before polling day to confirm arrangements for opening and closing the premises. 
  • Ensuring that voter identification is asked for and checked before ballot papers are issued.
  • Transport the ballot box and its contents, including polling screens, to the polling station on polling day.
  • Open and close the polling station on time.
  • Organise the polling station layout, taking into account all voters’ needs.
  • Take charge of the polling station, ensuring the secrecy and security of the ballot.
  • Be responsible for the health and safety of polling station staff, voters and visitors.
  • Keep the polling station neat and tidy.
  • Instruct and supervise Poll Clerks.
  • Ask voters to show their photo identification and check the photo is a reasonable likeness before issuing ballot papers.
  • Check voters' identification is one of the approved list of acceptable ID.
  • Where applicable, check voters’ ID in a private area.
  • When required, refusing to give a voter a ballot paper if they do not have an acceptable form of identification.
  • Ensure voters can cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere.
  • Check and mark electors off in the polling station register and complete other official paperwork.
  • Giver voters ballot papers and make sure they put them into the ballot box.
  • Deal with special voting procedures as required e.g., dealing with anonymous voters, issuing tendered ballot papers.
  • Accept completed postal vote packs handed in at the polling station.
  • Maintain order in the polling station and calling for advice and help from the elections office or polling station inspector where necessary.
  • Manage the attendance of official observers and others entitled to be in the polling station, making sure they do not interfere with the voting process.
  • Monitor the activities of candidate/party supporters known as ‘tellers’ outside the polling place.
  • Account for all ballot papers issued and unissued, and complete a ballot paper account.
  • Complete polling station paperwork throughout the day and once the poll has closed.
  • Once the polls have closed and all votes have been cast, supervise the dismantling of the polling station, leaving the room as you found it.

  Skills, knowledge and experience:

  • Good knowledge of the voting process.
  • Previous experience of working in a polling station on at least two occasions.
  • Good communication skills and ability to explain procedures to a range of people. Good knowledge of the voting process.
  • Commitment to customer care and equal opportunities.
  • Good administrative skills and attention to detail.
  • Punctual and reliable.
  • Access to a vehicle to transport ballot box and equipment.

   

  Based at:

  Any polling station within the area.

  Person specification:

  Criteria	Attributes (essential/desirable)
  Knowledge	Essential Working knowledge of the electoral process.
  Skills and abilities	Essential Previous customer-service experience. Experience of having worked at a polling station on at least 2 other occasions. Ability to work independently under pressure. Desirable Previous line-management or supervisory experience.
  Other	Essential Ability to remain politically neutral. Good timekeeping. Fully literate and numerate. Desirable Diplomacy and tact when working with members of the public.
  	Essential Access to own car which is insured for Business Use.

   

• Count Assistant

  Job Title: Count Assistant

  Job Type: Administrative

  Date and Time: Friday 3 May 2024 – Mid morning start (exact time to be confirmed)

  Pay: £14 per hour (The count will usually last around 4 hours) + mileage.  You will be paid from when you arrive at the count for training before the count starts

  Duties:

  • Comply with instructions and, where necessary, attend training.
  • Maintain the secrecy of the ballot.
  • Act professionally and impartially at all times.
  • Count ballot papers as directed by a supervisor.
  • Re-count ballot papers if required.
  • When instructed, sort ballot papers for individual candidates/choices.
  • Identify doubtful ballot papers.
  • You cannot be employed if you have carried out any duties on behalf of any political party or candidate at the election.

  Skills, knowledge and experience:

  • Numeracy skills and attention to detail.
  • Punctual and reliable.
  • Ability to work under pressure.
  • Count ballot papers as directed by a supervisor.
  • Re-count ballot papers if required.
  • When instructed, sort ballot papers for individual candidates/choices.
  • Identify doubtful ballot papers.
  • You cannot be employed if you have carried out any duties on behalf of any political party or candidate at the election.