9. Working at an election
We are always looking to recruit staff to assist at election time. If you would be interested in working at election time, please complete the Election Staff form. Please send your completed application form to:
Email: elections@eastdevon.gov.uk
Post: Electoral Services, East Devon District Council, Blackdown House, Border Road, Heathpark Industrial Estate, Honiton, EX14 1EJ.
We add staff to our database as they apply. Only individuals who have a right to work in the United Kingdom and with no political affiliations are eligible to work at elections.
In the run-up to an election we will write to all registered staff and ask them to indicate their availability. If you indicate that you are available, and you are appointed to a job at this election we will contact you with a Letter of Appointment which must be signed and returned by the deadline indicated.
Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be employed at an election, and due to the increased workload during elections we will only contact you if you have been successfully appointed.
For each election, the Returning Officer appoints polling and counting staff, and some staff for other duties e.g. clerks for the issue and opening of postal votes.
Presiding officers
As a presiding officer you would be responsible for the conduct of the ballot in the polling stations and must have a good knowledge of the voting procedure.
You would be responsible for ensuring that voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere.
Preferably you would have worked as a poll clerk at least three times at previous elections, although training will be provided.
You must be able to drive and your car insurance must include business cover. Hours of working would be 6.15am - 10-15pm on polling day, you wouldn't be able to leave the polling station during these hours.
Poll Clerks
As a poll clerk your job would be to assist the presiding officer in the setting up and dismantling the polling station. You would also be responsible for checking and marking the electoral register and ensuring that voters are able to cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere. Training will be provided. Hours of working would be 6.15am - 10.15pm on polling day, you wouldn't be able to leave the polling station during these hours.
Verification and Counting Staff
The purpose of a verification/count assistant is to open ballot boxes, ensure that the contents agree with the ballot paper accounts, and then count the votes for each candidate in the election.
You would be working as part of a supervised team.
Postal Vote Issuers
As a postal vote issuer you would be working in pairs.
You would be required to check against lists that the correctly numbered ballot papers are inserted into the post voting packs. You would then be required to record numbers, seal and count the envelopes.
Postal vote issuing takes place at Blackdown House in Honiton.
Postal Vote Openers
As a postal vote opener you would be working in pairs.
You would be required to open, count and check the contents of envelopes.
You would then be required to scan postal voting statements into our computer system, and check the data against the details shown on the computer screen (full instruction will be given).
Please note that the sessions are held depending on the volume of postal votes that have been received. Postal vote opening takes place at Blackdown House in Honiton.
Rates of pay
The rates of pay for election staff varies depending on the job role and the type of election. The amounts will be confirmed prior to an election.