Is anyone else here working at a Polling Station on Thursday?

[Stinkyfeet]

If so, what are you doing and more importantly, what food are you taking?!

[Stinkyfeet]

Just me then

[southeastastra]

i would be so bored i'd eat my own head probably

[Stinkyfeet]

Ha ha! It can actually be quite a good laugh if you've got a good bunch of people to work with. Normally I'm with 4 or 5 colleagues I know well, but I'm with strangers this year so not sure how it'll go.

[Bleatblurt]

I'm not but my dad is. He the Returning Officer (I think that's the name of what he's doing, must pay more attention!). Thankfully he lives right outside the school that is being used so my mum can take food down for him..

[BexJ78]

I am not doing it this time (on maternity leave and also with a new LA), but have done several before. I used to take copies of various trashy magazines, which i hid under the table when anyone important came into the polling station! Also used to take a massive bag of food, to last me the whole day, which i had usually eaten by 11am!

[Stinkyfeet]

Sounds like he's Presiding Officer, Butterball.

No hot food for me unfortunately. Will have to raid the chilled/cake section at Tesco tomorrow for supplies.

[Stinkyfeet]

That sounds about right Bex! The 11am Haribo High!!

[isthatporridgeinyourzone]

lol stinkyfeet. Food very important. Some of my staff take their slow cookers.

[Stinkyfeet]

We considered a BBQ last year - the station is in a nursery and has a nice garden!!

Are you working it this year, porridge?

[BexJ78]

I have to say, the type of day you have is very much dependant on who you're working with. I had one year where I worked with a bloke who was quite funny (or so I thought) to start with, but by the end of a 15 hour? shift, i would rather have hit myslef in the face with a plank of wood than listen to anymore of his'jokes!'

[Bleatblurt]

Presiding Officer! That's the one, thank you.

You'll need to take the phone number of a local takeaway in with you. Can you do that?

[Stinkyfeet]

I know, Bex, and there's no escape is there.

Must say, I'm liking the slow cooker idea - may well do that in future years!

[llareggub]

I used to love working at the Polling Station, but enjoyed the count far more. I remember one year doing both and I still went to work the next day, having finished to count at silly o'clock.

A lot depends on the polling station used. I had an awful one in a portocabin which was freezing. It was also the European elections in a ward with a low turnout, so it was the longest day of my life.

[isthatporridgeinyourzone]

No, on maternity leave and have (thankfully) avoided the election. Am DRO - so do the shite jobs the Returning Officers bidding. Mainly sorting out troubles at polling stations, arguing with the candidates agents and tellers and then going thru the night for the count. Used to love doing the poll though especially as one of our polling stations is a pub!

Do you do it every election then?

[Stinkyfeet]

Most years yes. Normally I'm a Poll Clerk, but standing in for my usual Presiding Officer this year as she's on Maternity Leave (due today - she tried to get them to let her still do it but DRO put her foot down!). Have been PO before, but don't really like all the queueing at the Civic Centre returning the ballot box and sundries at the end of the night.

[CaptainUnderpants]

Doing the count.

did the clount last year for local elections and European elections . Really enjoyed it and good bunch of people - quite interesting aswell.

[nappyzoneloveslindor]

Ooo i used to work in the elections office - really miss it when there is an election on. Spent many a day as a Presiding officer eating the day away. Last time i did it some years ago i was on with a nightmare who marked a few wrong people and turned into day from hell lol - NEVER AGAIN!!! Slow cooker is a fab and very impressive idea!

[Stinkyfeet]

On the night, Captain? I bet that'll be really lively this year! I've never done the count - not allowed to after a day at the Polling Station. Although I did put my name down to do the count on friday for the Locals. Didn't get it!

[MrsWobbleTheWaitress]

Considered counting for the first time this year, but DD4 still feeding at night and I think I will bitterly regret it all the week after while I try to catch up on missed sleep!

Will probably end up staying awake anyway to watch the results, but at least I can doze off if I want to if I'm on my own sofa

[CaptainUnderpants]

Yes on the night . have to be at the location for latest 9.45pm ready to go , amazing the verfication process before you actually start counting !

Will be a buzz ! Very exciting to be part of the democratic process of this country , although I am in safe Conservative seat,but who knows eh ? Lib dems may give Labour a run for their money - Labour pile of cards usually very small in this area.

[Stinkyfeet]

I've done one in a Portacabin as well, llareggub - fortunately I got on well with the person I was! And a low turnout makes the day drag, a nice steady flow is what you need!

[Stinkyfeet]

.. person I was with.

[NoahAndTheWhale]

How do you get to be a counter? (realise I am a little late for this year, but maybe in the future)

[Stinkyfeet]

That should be great Captain, have they given you any indication what time you'll be finished? Do you have to wait for all the ballot boxes to be checked in, or can you start as soon as the first ones start arriving?

[llareggub]

I got to be a counter through work; at the time local government officers used to get paid time off in lieu to work on the elections AND get paid for it. We used to queue up in droves to be selected!

These days I think it is all done through the jobcentres, I haven't seen it advertised locally.