European and County Council

1

• European and County Council
• Elections
• 4th June 2009

2
Introduction

• LRO/DRO Wes Lumley
• Deputies
• Sarah Sternberg
• Kath Whittingham
• Objectives
• Efficient election
• Briefing on significant issues/changes

3
Agenda

• Integrity Issues
• Election Expenses
• Pre Polling Day Issues
• Polling day issues
• Verification and Count
• Questions

4

• Integrity issues

5
Integrity Issues

• DCI Rick Gooch,
• Derbyshire Police
• -
• Single point of contact (SPOC)

6
Integrity Issues

• Rick has requested that in the first instance,
  any allegations to be made through me!

7
Integrity Issues

• Sarah Sternberg
• Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer
• 01246 242414
• Sarah.sternberg_at_bolsover.gov.uk

8
Integrity Issues

• See Guidance for Candidates and agents Appendix
  G

9
Integrity Issues

• The Returning Officer has no role in relation to
  investigating alleged election offences!

10
Integrity Issues

• Offences relating to failures to deal properly
  with expenses.
• Offences relating to voting.
• Contravention of the secrecy requirements by
  those attending a polling station or the issue
  and opening of postal votes

11
Integrity Issues

• Dont handle postal votes!

12

• Election Expenses

13
Election expenses

• Election expenses are not reimbursed!
• Objective of the rules is to create a level
  playing field.

14
Election expenses

• Limits to expenditure - County
• 600 5p per Local Government elector in the
  Division
• Election Agent responsible

15
Election expenses

• A nil return is required if appropriate

16
Election expenses

• See guidance on Electoral Commission web site or
  in Electoral Commissions Guidance for Candidates
  and Agents chapter 4

17
What counts

• Encouraging voting for yourself or your candidate
• Criticising the opposing Candidate
• Comparing the opposing Candidate unfavourably
  with yourself or your Candidate

18
What counts

• Certain categories advertising, leaflets,
  transport, public meetings, staff and
  accommodation
• Exclusions Candidates own time and services,
  use of candidates home, use of candidates car and
  PC.

19
What Counts

• Expenditure on goods and services prior to
  election do count if used in the election.
• Notional payments where offered something free
  or reduced.

20
Who can incur election spending

• The candidate
• The election agent
• Any individual or organisation authorised in
  writing by the election agent

21
Time limits

• Warn your suppliers that-
• Within 21 days of declaration of the result, they
  must submit their invoices to you as Election
  Agent.
• If not, the invoice cannot be paid without a
  court order.

22
Time limits

• As Election Agent
• You must pay these invoices within 28 days
• If it is longer than 28 days, a court order would
  be needed for payment.

23
Time Limits

• Election Return must be submitted within 35 days
  of the declaration of result otherwise a
  criminal offence is committed for which there is
  a fine of up to 5000.
• Must submit a nil return for no expenditure

24
Election expenses

• Chapters 4 and 7 of EC Guidance for Candidates
  and agents

25

• Pre Polling Day
• Presentation by Head of Democratic Services to
  candidates/election agents for the elections on
  4th June 2009

26
Deadlines for Candidates/Agents

• The nominations process closed at 4 pm today. I
  can confirm that all of the County Electoral
  Divisions have been contested. I would point out
  the following key dates that Candidates or their
  Agent must meet these are non-negotiable

27
Deadlines for Candidates/Agents

• 12th May noon - Last date for Withdrawal of
  Candidature
• 12th May noon - Last Date for Appointment of
  Election Agents
• 28th May midnight last day for appointment of
  Polling and Counting Agents

28
Candidates Information

• A letter will be sent shortly advising of the
  times and dates for the opening of Postal Voters
  Boxes and confirming the number of Counting
  Agents that can be appointed.

29
Candidates Information Postal Vote Opening
Sessions

• Wed 27th May - 10am
• Thurs 28th May 10am and 2pm
• Fri 29th May 10am
• Tues 2nd June - 10am and 2pm
• Thurs 4th June - 10am and 5pm. 
• Final opening of votes handed in at a polling
  station after last opening will be done at 10
  p.m. on 4th June.

30
Candidates Information

• A questionnaire will also be provided for
  candidates/agents to feed back on the various
  processes. The results will be published on our
  website.

31
Registration Deadlines

• 19th May midnight Last date to apply to
  register as an elector to vote in the election
• 19th May 5 pm Last date to apply to vote by
  post or change or cancel existing postal or proxy
  vote
• 27th May 5 pm Last date to appoint a proxy

32
Overview of Changes in the Law since the last
County Council Elections

• Polling hours all elections are 7 am until 10
  pm
• Poll Cards for all including postal voters were
  despatched at the end of April.

33
Overview of Changes in the Law since the last
County Council Elections

• Provision of personal identifiers by applicants
  to vote by post
• Checking returned postal vote statements to
  personal identifiers
• 100 check.

34
Overview of Changes in the Law since the last
County Council Elections

• Appointment of Emergency Proxies up to 5 pm on
  Polling Day where someone has taken ill or been
  hospitalised after the last date to nominate a
  proxy

35
Overview of Changes in the Law since the last
County Council Elections

• Corrections of Clerical Errors up to 9 pm on
  Polling Day

36
.

• Polling Day

37
Information to Electors

• Postal votes will be issued around 22nd May.
  (The Postal Vote Lists will be supplied to
  Candidates/ Election Agents as soon as possible
  after this date).

38
Polling Day

• The following are allowed to attend at Polling
  Stations Candidates, Election Agents, Polling
  Agents, Authorised observers (Electoral
  Commission) and Polling Station Inspectors.

39
Polling Day

• What can they do?
• Right to remain in Polling Station and observe
• Purpose to assist in detecting personation
• Must not disrupt voting!

40
Polling Day

• For further details of their role, see pages 10
  and 11 of the Guidance for Candidates and Agents

41
Marked copy of the Absent Voters Lists

• After the election-
• Candidates/Agents can now purchase a marked copy
  of the absent voters list which shows which
  postal voters have returned their vote. This is
  the same as the marked copy of the electoral
  register used in a polling station.
• These can be supplied on written request on
  payment of a prescribed fee.

42
Polling Hours

• Polling hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• The Elections office will be manned from 7 am
  until 9 pm

43
Tellers

• No more than one for each candidate or political
  party
• No legal status and voters have the right to
  refuse to give them any information
• See Appendix E of Guidance for Candidates and
  Agents

44

• Verification
• And Count

45
Verification and Count

• Ballot Boxes will be received at Sherwood Lodge
  and transported to the Assembly Rooms.

46
Verification and Count

• At the Assembly Rooms
• Attendees
• Candidate plus one chosen companion
• Candidates Election Agent
• Any appointed Counting Agents
• Any accredited Election Agents
• Representatives of the Electoral Commission

47
Verification and Count

• Verification of both on the night, as soon as
  boxes arrive
• European Ballot Papers face down
• County Council Ballot Papers face up

48
Verification and Count

• County Count Friday 5th June at 10 am
• European Count Sunday evening at 6 30 pm
• Candidates etc waiting area Small Hall in the
  Assembly Rooms

49
Verification and Count

• Postal Votes
• Noise levels
• Concurrent Counts leave after yours.
• Speeches
• Suspending the count

50
Verification and Count

• Please park at Sherwood Lodge and walk down to
  the Assembly Rooms.

51

• Questions?