Poll staff training and information

You should read this local arrangements note in advance of reading the electronic copy of the Electoral Commission polling staff handbook.

You should read this note in advance of reading the electronic copy of the EC Handbook

Please note that Postal Votes can be reissued until 10pm – there is a mistake in the handbook.  You should phone 0303 123 1019 for any queries.

This note is designed to highlight notable differences in polling arrangements at South Lanarkshire from those mentioned in the Electoral Commission (EC) Handbook.  Many of them are consistent with previous local arrangements many of you will already be familiar with them.

1. Introduction (P1) – The general public health principles apply but at our polling stations we are putting screens in place keep staff and voters safe. If you are seated, you can remove your face covering if you wish but when you stand up you must cover your face before moving around the polling station. Cleaning hands and surfaces regularly is a must especially if you are issuing ballot papers and of course, you and the voters are expected to maintain distancing from each other.  If you have any Covid symptoms you must not attend the polling station.

2. Duties of a Presiding Officer (P2-3) – the Covid Marshalls will ensure voters follow Government Guidance with regards to Covid restrictions.  Polling Staff will be responsible for maintaining the hygiene of the Polling Station ie booths, boxes, desks (not the Polling Place which will be maintained by janitorial staff, caretakers, keyholders or the Covid Marshall for private premises eg churches). Covid Marshalls will, for this event, also monitor the activities of tellers outside polling places.

3. Polling Place Keyholders (P4) - No contact is required by polling staff in advance of the election with the Keyholder of any Polling Place. Arrangements for access and set up have been put in place by the Election Team. The keyholder has been requested to open the Polling Place in good time for your arrival at 6.30am. If for any reason you cannot gain access on polling day, you should contact the Election Office immediately as the Election Office have staff to assist and a temporary polling station on standby as a contingency.

4. Standards of appearance (P4) – In addition, wrap up warm as polling stations must be ventilated throughout the day on polling day so it could get cold. 

5. Polling Staff Contact (P5) - Presiding Officers are NOT required to contact any other polling staff in advance of polling day. 

6. Ballot Boxes and Trolley Cases (P5) - These will be delivered to polling places and uplifted at the close of poll for delivery to the count centre by staff from Housing and Technical Resources. A Set Up Team Inspector (SUTI) will check the correct documentation has been delivered to the correct Polling Place in advance of your arrival.  Uplift arrangements will be notified to the Presiding Officer at Station No 1.  polling staff will not be required to dismantle polling booths. 

7. If the keyholder does not attend? (P7) – Contact the Election Office immediately, there is no requirement for you to contact the keyholder direct in this instance. Arrangements will be made by the team in the Election Office to get the Polling Place open as quickly as possible.

8. Polling Station Layout (P7-9) - The Polling station layout has been set up and agreed with the Election Team and must not be changed. It is also displayed on the banner board. If you experience difficulties with the layout, please contact the Election Office immediately.

On this occasion two of the booths will be taped off to maintain distancing, it is expected this will still allow voters to smoothly transition through your polling station without delay. 

Finally, on this section, chairs for the ballot boxes will be placed at 2m distance from the Presiding Officer, whilst appreciating it makes it more difficult for Presiding Officers to see the right ballot paper going into the right ballot boxes you are asked to simply do your best but don’t be overly concerned about the wrong ballots being put into the wrong boxes within your Polling Station as this is easily resolved at the count. 

9. Notices (P10) – To assist the following is a summary of Notices in polling places:- 

• Guidance for Voters Notice  - already displayed on the Banner Board and should also be displayed in each polling station
• Information for Voters Notice – Displayed in each Polling Booth (already in place on arrival at your polling station) 
• Enlarged Ballot Paper Samples – Already displayed on the Banner Board and should also be displayed in each polling station and one hand-held version which should be placed on your desk 

10. Police (P11) – Police Officers will visit polling places periodically to support the Returning Officer in delivering the Poll. 

11. Pencils for voters (P14) – Voters have been advised on their poll card they ‘may wish to bring their own pen or pencil’ to the poll, however, we also have boxes of pencils for use at each polling station which will be marked ‘unused’ and ‘used’ for voters to pick up from the ‘unused’ box then return them to the ‘used’ box. 

12. Voting Procedure (P14-18) – The procedure is as follows: 

• Polling Clerk will be responsible for checking the Register 
• Presiding Officer will be responsible for checking that the ballot paper number matches the next number on the Corresponding Number List (CNL) for every voter, marking up the CNL, folding then unfolding the ballot paper, pointing out the barcode on the back of the ballot paper and issuing the ballot paper to the elector whilst advising them that they should say:- 

“Vote by putting the number 1 in the voting box next to your first choice. Put the number 2 in the voting box next to your second choice. Put the number 3 in the voting box next to your third choice. And so on.  Show the ballot paper number on the back to me before putting your paper in the ballot box”

13.  Anonymous Voters (P32) - There are only a small number of anonymous voters in the South Lanarkshire area, therefore, you do not need to be aware of the procedure for dealing with them as detailed in Appendix 4 unless you are advised prior to polling day.

14. Postal Votes (P28) – Postal votes can be accepted for any of the twenty wards in South Lanarkshire.

You can only accept a South Lanarkshire postal vote in a polling place within South Lanarkshire area ie the above 20 Wards.

Arrangements have been made for the uplift of postal votes by the Polling Station Inspectors (PSIs) from each polling place. Only the Presiding Officer at Station No 1 will have the envelopes for postal votes.  PO at Station No1 should ensure all postal votes received at the polling place are put in the appropriate envelope and the front of the envelope, along with the ‘Statement re Postal Votes collected from the polling place’ have been completed prior to handing them over (the person picking up postal votes will remind you of this). The total number should also be recorded in the ballot paper account.  

15. Maintenance of the Polling Place (P18) – Covid Marshalls where placed will assist with the majority of these points in relation to the polling place, however, Presiding Officers should take responsibility for points made in relation to the Polling Station. No requirement to sharpen pencils.  

16. Close of Poll (P19-21) – Use the pictorial guide for your close of poll arrangements and ensure that the items remaining are as detailed on this guide. Items will be uplifted by Housing and Technical Services staff to be taken to the Count and the Presiding Officer at Station No 1 will be asked to sign their checklist confirming the items being uplifted.

17. Disabled Voters (P22-25) – South Lanarkshire arrangements are the same as those in the Handbook, however, it is worth highlighting this ie assistance can only be provided if the voter and staff remain 2m physically distanced from each other and this is communicated and agreed before assistance is provided.

18. Tendered Ballot Papers (various pages and Appendix 5b P36) – You will receive one book of 20 tendered ballot papers (pink) which will be in an envelope with clear instructions on the circumstances that the tendered votes can be issued and reminding you that only the Presiding Officer can issue Tendered Ballot Papers.

19. Appendix 10 (P44-46) – South Lanarkshire endorse and encourage the reading of these FAQs in this appendix which provides the answers to many questions ask by polling staff before or on polling day.

20. Polling Station set-up checklist (P47-49) – You are not required to use this checklist. Polling Station Inspectors (PSIs) will carry out a check of the physical access arrangements on polling day and ensure access and signage are as required. Presiding Officers should, however, ensure that their polling station arrangements in relation to ballot boxes, large print and hand-held sample ballot papers, tactile voting templates, notices, ballot papers and corresponding number lists are as they should be.