Information Officer training sessions

1
Information Officer training sessions

• Scottish Parliamentary and local government
  elections 3 May 2007

2
Introduction

• Add names of trainers

3
Objectives of the trainingsession

• To introduce the role of the Information Officer
  and explain their duties
• To provide an overview of the Scottish
  Parliamentary and local government elections on
  3 May 2007
• To provide information on the voting systems
• To explain new procedures in the polling station
• To outline the duties of the polling station staff

4
Overview of theScottish Parliament and local
government elections 2007

• Scottish Parliament election
• Additional Member System (AMS)
• Constituency candidates elected by first past the
  post
• Regional members elected from closed list
• Local Government election
• Conducted for the first time under Single
  Transferable Vote electoral system (STV)
• Main features of STV
• Multi-member wards

5
Duties of the Information Officer

• The Information Officers main duties are to
• Act impartially at all times
• To ensure electors are sufficiently informed to
  vote validly at the elections
• Meet voters as they enter the polling place
• Direct voters to the correct polling station
  (where there is more than one polling station in
  the polling place)
• Assist voters with requests for information on
  the electoral systems and the voting process

6
Assisting in the polling place

• Provide support to the Presiding Officer(s) in
  the explanation and clarification of special
  voting procedures
• Assist in managing the flow of voters to the
  polling station(s), particularly at peak times
• Assist the Presiding Officer in carrying out such
  other duties as may be required (e.g. in dealing
  with voters who have a difficult disposition)

7
Customer first

• Act impartially at all times
• Diversity issues
• Disability
• Black and minority ethnic communities
• Literacy problems
• Dyslexia
• Are we prepared?

8
Electoral system information
Scottish Parliament

• Additional Member System (AMS)
• Constituency vote (one vote marked with an X)
• Elects one MSP for the constituency
• Regional vote (one vote marked with an X)
• Elects seven MSPs for the region

9
Additional Member System

• Under the AMS system, voters have two votes a
  constituency vote for a candidate and a regional
  vote for a political party or candidate standing
  as an individual
• AMS is a proportional system combining the
  election of constituency candidates with a vote
  for a preferred party or individual candidate.

10
Electoral system information
Scottish local government

• Single Transferable Vote (STV)
• New electoral system for 3 May 2007 elections
• New larger wards
• 3 or 4 councillors
• No additional councillors
• Number candidates in order of preference (1, 2,
  3 4, and so on)
• Additional information on VoteScotland.com

11
Single Transferable Vote

• STV is a form of proportional representation
  (PR). STV asks voters to rank candidates in order
  of preference.
• You can vote for as few or as many candidates as
  you choose.
• With STV, if the voters first choice of
  candidate does not require their vote because
  the candidate has already secured enough votes to
  be elected that vote transfers to the voters
  second choice. This process continues until the
  required number of candidates is elected.

12
InformationPop-up

• Pop-up provides pictorial information about
  voting process
• Stand-alone information point (for when
  Information Officer is unavailable)
• To be set up by Presiding Officer (No 1)
• Displayed prominently at the entrance to the
  polling place so it can be seen by all voters
• Information Officer positioned beside the pop-up

13
InformationPop-up
180cm tall
60cm wide
14
Principal duties of thePresidingOfficer

• Act impartially at all times
• Organise the layout of the polling station
• Instruct and supervise the work of the Poll Clerk
  and Information Officer
• Open and close the polling station on time
• Maintain order in the polling station
• Be polite and professional in dealing with
  voters, candidates and agents
• Account and be responsible for all the ballot
  papers, paperwork and ballot boxes
• Ensure the proper procedure for voting is
  followed

15
Principal duties of thePresidingOfficer

• Deal with special voting procedures
• Issue ballot papers to voters
• Receive any postal votes handed in by voters

16
Principal duties of thePoll Clerk

• Act impartially at all times
• Assist with the layout of the polling station and
  prepare for the opening of the poll
• Be polite and professional in dealing with
  voters, candidates agents and observers
• Check that electors are eligible to vote in the
  elections and at this polling station
• Check and mark the electors electoral numbers in
  the register of electors
• Issue ballot papers to voters in absence of
  Presiding Officer
• Help with any other polling station duties on the
  instruction of the Presiding Officer.

17
Polling stationsNew procedures

• Whats new
• Role of Information Officer
• Admission to polling stations (observers and
  under 18s)
• Collection of postal votes by Returning Officer

18
Ballot papers

• Whats new
• Ballot papers no longer printed with a
  counterfoil
• Bar codes and security markings
• Single ballot paper for SP election
• Colours of SP and LG papers
• Marking of SP and LG papers

19
Lets vote

• Who is eligible
• Electors who are 18 years of age or over on the
  day of the election
• EU citizens resident in the UK
• Citizens of Commonwealth countries who are
  resident in the UK and who have leave to enter
  and remain in the UK

20
Lets vote

• Who cannot vote
• Electors who are younger than 18 years of age on
  polling day
• Electors who have been issued with a postal vote
• Electors who are registered as overseas voters
  (only able to vote in UK and European
  Parliamentary elections)

21
Postal votes

• Electors who have been issued with a postal vote
  cannot vote in person
• Completed postal ballot packs may be handed in to
  the polling station
• Procedure for collection of postal ballot packs
  during the day by the Returning Officer
• Postal ballot packs to be sealed and labelled, as
  instructed, at close of poll and handed over with
  the ballot boxes

22
Health andsafety

• Managing risk is crucial to the effective outcome
  of the election
• Be aware to any potential risks to safety
• Inspect the premises regularly
• If hazards are discovered find a remedy
• If an accident occurs follow procedures
• Be careful when lifting heavy objects

23
How was it for you?

• Any questions
• The QA form
• Evaluation form
• Emergency contact numbers
• The Electoral Commission website
• www.electoralcommission.org.uk