Tomorrow I’ll be a Presiding Officer in a polling station. AMA

[Tygertiger]

This may not be the most thrilling AMA in the world, but if there is anything you’ve always wondered about the voting process, go ahead!

Absolutely, and please tell the staff inside as we can ask the police to come if required if a member of the public is being a nuisance.

Absolutely refuse.
You don't have to take your polling card with you to vote anyway.

Do people try to talk to the staff about who they will vote for? I’m guessing such discussion is not allowed.

Also, does it ever happen that people try to stick propaganda stickers on the “polling station” signs outside?

You never need to show anybody your polling card. I binned mine on the day it arrived.
There is always someone outside the polling station asking to see it; just say no. They are not allowed inside the polling station itself even if it is raining. You can report them for being in the building even if they are not being a nuisance.

“You do not need to take this card with you in order to vote but it will speed up the process if you do”

odd to bin it

Am I allowed to bring food/snacks for the people manning the polling station?

@usernotfound0000 come over to this thread
www.mumsnet.com/talk/general-election-2024/5080626-polling-staff?page=3&reply=136281546

According to my polling card I can get an emergency proxy if my ID is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, or hasn't arrived if I've recently applied for it. How on earth does that work?

He'll be a canvasser. They are allowed outside, but you don't have to show them anything or engage. (I used to Poll Clerk).

Good luck @Tygertiger depending on where your station is, it could be an interesting and busy day.

I used to enjoy it, but can't do it now as spending the entire day out no longer fits my commitments. Do you think it should be a split shift? I'm not sure many voters realise that most PS are staffed by volunteers, who are not necessarily LA employees.

I am a bit nervous about the looong day. I’m opening up at 6am to set up and then obviously will be there until 10pm, and then have to take the ballot box back to the counting HQ where I’ve been told to expect a queue of POs waiting to hand them in. I was planning on staying up all night to watch the count (on TV!) but I’m not sure I’ll make it after a 5am start 😆

How much do you get paid? 😂
I know the vote counters get fairly decent money!
I’ve been to a few counts before, I love the drama and the tension and excitement!

I’ve not had people asking in a local (a GE may be different) but we are only allowed to answer questions to assist with the voting process - certainly we are not allowed to discuss our own votes or advise people how they should vote. We would politely tell them we’re not permitted to have such discussions.

We will be monitoring outside really regularly and anything being stuck on a polling station sign would be removed. We have to check the booths regularly too in between voters for the same reason, in case anyone tries to leave anything in a booth.

I haven’t seen anything about this in the regs! But if it’s anything like other council rules I’m not sure we’d be able to accept. I’ve got lots of snacks and teabags packed for my team!

It depends on the council but £300-£400 is the range for a presiding officer. Obviously we get taxed on it but it’ll be a nice bonus in my August pay, I hope.

I'm taking my polling card with me just in case - there's no harm in having that extra level of authentication to ensure I can put my X in the box.

Google emergency vote by proxy - there’s a process and it’s all online.

how many hours do you work for that?

I've never understood this - it doesn't speed anything up.IME it can slow things down.
I've been a PO many times. Legally you have to get each voter to tell you their name before you issue a ballot paper. I've lost count if the number of arrogant tossers who just fling their polling card at you, saying their name is written there and can't I read! You then have to go through the explanation which takes twice as long as simply saying 'Good morning, could you tell me your address and name please?'!

The full day! I’ll be setting up at 6am and can’t leave until polls close at 10pm, then I have to take the ballot box and paperwork to the counting HQ.

This is the first election with ID requirements. Do you know what the situation is with a driving licence that is in date but has an old address on (ie doesn't match the polling card)

How do you feel about the many thousands of people who have not yet received their postal votes and have now gone on holiday (especially in Scotland where schools have broken up), so they have lost their ability to vote?

Can the number of postal votes sent out vs the number received be counted to calculate if the return is significantly less this year than in previous elections?

Do you know anything about Temporary polling Stations? We have one tomorrow as the usual one isn't available... but no one knows exactly where it is. Do they have to have clear signposting?

The only notice is a a different address on the polling card next to the word Temporary.

What are your main duties as the Presiding Officer and what training did you have to undertake (what sorts of skills do you need?). As a Civil Servant, I had the opportunity to get involved but was a bit unclear about the commitment so decided to do it next time round when I have a better idea.

I know I can look it up 😊but it's nice to get it first hand from you. Thanks and all the best for tomorrow. DH and I are going to be first in the queue 'early doors' as our village has a Polling Station about 5 mins walk from home and thankfully the weather looks dry tomorrow.

Thanks if they can't accept I'll take them back home no issues

I'm a count supervisor, my top advice is TAKE SNACKS. We sometimes have snacks provided but sometimes not, and a 1am sugar boost is often very much needed.

Spoilt and doubtful votes get taken out of the count and adjudicated, so the candidates and agents do see them as part of this process. There is a whole handbook from the electoral commission with examples and guidelines on what is and isn't a good vote. It's quite entertaining for the count staff when people do rude drawings or write stroppy comments so I'm always grateful when people go to the effort of doing that, rather than just putting a cross through the whole paper or leaving it blank 😜