Polling Staff

[Allthegoodonesareg0ne]

So we are back again on July 4th!
Was wondering what kind of conditions you've had to put up with at Polling stations?!
Last elections I was in a tin box in the middle of a field with a portaloo outside. Only reachable by foot, no handwashing facilities or fridge. Was freezing and chucking it down so got soaked every comfort break but at least the milk didn't go off!
Lovely voters though and presiding officer was great to work with so could be worse!

£317 incl training and travel apparently - I get paid holiday pay as well which also adds a small amount.

I've just signed up to be a polling clerk for the first time. Looking forward to it and anxious about it in equal measure! Any tips on how to make it an enjoyable experience?

For poll clerk? That's a great rate of pay!

@Runnerduck34 I assumed that was fairly standard! I am in London though if that makes any difference?

It's for the same work for the same number of hours but I guess London Boroughs are more generous I'm in Kent so not a million miles away.
Daughter is in Berkshire and she's getting paid more too.

I'm a London Borough and the rate is £268 inc. training.

@Runnerduck34 are you a presiding officer? I thought that the pay would be pretty much consistant across councils.

I’m just a poll clerk - I think it’s been fairly consistent for me (Inner London Borough) though as I just looked up the rate for the last elections I did (2022) and that was £312, so we’ve had £5 pay rise since then!

Sorry @drawnfrommemory, tagged the wrong person...
That is a great rate. We get (in Devon), £192, +£30 training, +£23.17 holiday = £245.17. I've been doing it at least 10 years, it never seems to go up much, but I work for the Council anyway so it's a nice day out 😂

You're holiday pay is usually quoted in the final amount of £317, then for tax purposes they split down into ElectionTraining, Election Holiday Pay, ElectionTravel, and Election Job role. The only things they quote are training and travel in the job offer.

I can't quote my last payslip because it's way off as I was paid extra for being two Presiding Officers that day.

Just double checked my offer letter and mine is definitely £317 for the day, training and travel, then it says I'll get holiday pay in addition to this gross amount (all subject to the usual deductions).

I won't be moaning about pay rates at all!

Hi all,

This has been an interesting read. I live in Australia and have worked elections for over 20 years, polling clerk, upwards to now a returning officer. Most of what you've said seems pretty similar.... but why is the election held on a Thursday there?
Surely less people will vote on a working day? Interested in the answer as we vote on Saturdays here, generally use schools as polling places.

I think as you have mandatory voting that is why yours is on a Saturday. You also have telephone voting and things like that don't you? Again, all designed to help people meet their obligation.
As for Thursdays, as far as I know it's cultural and linked to market days, pubs(!) and things like that!

Yes our voting is mandatory and fines are issued for non-voters. We have postal voting, and early voting centres running for 2 weeks before the election for those that know they will be unable to vote on election day for a valid reason. There is telephone voting for the blind and there was a telephone voting service in 2022 for anyone with Covid, I think that was likely a one off for that election.

Otherwise polling day is 8am -6pm on the Saturday, with the initial count going until about 1am.

Take lots of Snacks and drinks you love. It's a long day but exciting too.

I always take a cushion. Your bum can go numb sitting on a plastic chair for hours on end! Also a jumper/fleece/blanket as it can get chilly in the evening no matter how warm it has been during the day.

I'm working on the polling station too, interesting to hear about so many different experiences here.

I find polling stations are always cold, maybe because the doors are always being opened.

The worst one I have worked at was where there was no loo roll provided in the loos - someone's husband had to bring an emergency supply!

Thursday has been longstanding for elections here - quite why???

This graph shows turnout for every UK Election since 1918,

https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2036,00.html

Starter for ten - Thursdays.

and another take on who a Thursday might favour

https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2016/research/referendum-weekday-conservative/

Can I ask a naive question, since everyone here seems to know their stuff?

For the first time ever, I've applied online for a proxy vote (DH will vote for me) because I'm on holiday until the day after! Bloody Rishi, spoiling my GE night fun! I'm gutted I'll be out of the country and not really able to watch things unfold.

I got an automated response confirming my application and DH has had an email informing him I've applied for him to be my proxy. What now? Does he just take my polling card, along with his own and photo ID, and vote for both of us? Or do I get sent a special different polling card for him to take? Or what? Will he only find out whether my application passed muster (I dunno, wonky signature or something) when he turns up at the polling station on the day?

It seems obvious but I can't find this information on any official websites.

Poll cards are more for your purpose than ours, they tell you where to vote. They're handy if you bring them because they have your voter ID number, but not essential.

DH just needs to go into the polling station with his ID card, the staff will have a special list of proxies and will be expecting him to come in and ask to vote for you. He has to do his own vote first, put it in the box and then come back to the desk to do yours. It's all pretty straightforward.

You could contact electoral services at your council, they'd be able to tell you if your application has 'worked.'

That was to @GlomOfNit

brilliant, thanks! I do often forget to go out with my polling card and of course it's never been an issue, they look me up anyway!

I'll pass that all on to DH. I will definitely also contact the council and see if it's gone through ok. I vaguely remember something about some postal (not proxy) votes going uncounted recently, because there was a massive backlog, but I applied in good time for this. (Am I misremembering, or is that misinformation, about the uncounted postal votes? Honestly I can't remember the details now.)

Not sure about the postal votes, at ours they're treated very seriously because of the opportunity for them to be missed if they aren't prioritised, so hopefully it's the same everywhere!

This thread has inspired me a little, on my way to the polling station, I am going to pop into the local supermarket and buy some biscuits for the team who are working there... any recommendations polling team?