Briefing for campaigners

Arrangements for the referendum on the voting system

for UK Parliamentary elections

The Aim To provide an overview of:

• Roles at the referendum• Referendum campaigning• Referendum processes• After the poll• Campaigners’ expenses

Who does what?

• The Chief Counting Officer– Electoral Commission

• The Counting Officer– Local voting area

• Contact details for the Counting Officer and his staff- Phone:

- Email:

Who does what?

The role of agents

• Referendum agent– Postal voting agents

– Polling agents

– Count agents

• The process for appointing agents

• Deadlines for appointment

Referendum timetable

Referendum timetable

Publication of notice of referendum Not later than Friday 25 March 2011

Notification of appointment of referendum agents

Noon on Thursday 7 April 2011

Publication of notice of poll Friday 8 April 2011

Deadline for receipt of absent vote applications and for changes to existing postal or proxy votes

5pm on Thursday 14 April 2011

Registration deadline England, Wales and Northern Ireland - Thursday 14 April 2011Scotland – 15 April 2011

Deadline for new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy)

5pm Thursday 21 April 2011

Referendum timetable

Referendum timetable

Deadline for notification of appointment of polling and counting agents

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Polling day Thursday 5 May 2011 – 7am to 10pm

Deadline to apply for new applications to vote by proxy on grounds of medical emergency

5pm on Thursday 5 May 2011

Replacement for lost/spoilt postal votes ends

5pm on Thursday 5 May 2011

Alterations to register to correct clerical error

9pm on Thursday 5 May 2011

Who can vote?

• Referendum franchise• Deadline to register to vote [delete text as appropriate]

– England, Wales and Northern Ireland - 14 April 2011

– Scotland - 15 April 2011 • Poll cards

The campaign - Available resources

• Supply of electoral register and absent voters lists

• Restricted use of schools and rooms for public meetings

• Postal voting and the code of conduct on handling postal votes

The campaign (cont’d)

• Campaign material - Imprints- Restrictions and offences

• Reporting alleged offences during the campaign

Referendum processes - Postal voting

• Postal voting system

- personal identifiers

• Arrangements for postal vote opening sessions [include local arrangements]

• Code of conduct

Referendum processes -The poll

• Polling stations open from 7am – 10pm• Elections office open xam to xpm

(Any queries relating to regulatory issues or queries about campaign literature please contact the Electoral Commission)

• Polling station inspectors and their remit• Tellers• Polling agents

Referendum processes -The count

• The count

– Location xx

– Time xx

• Ensure appointments for Counting agents are submitted by deadline

• Declaration of the result

After the poll

• Inspection and supply of marked register and absent voters lists

– Data copy: £10 plus £1 per 1,000 entries or any part thereof. Printed copy: £10 plus £2 per 1,000 copies or part thereof

• Campaign spending returns:

– the date by which you must report depends on how much was spent on your campaign

– £250k or below? – report within 3months

– over £250k? – report within 6months

Contact details • Elections office – [insert]

• Electoral Commission contacts [delete as appropriate]– Party and Election Finance 020 7271 0616– Eastern and South East 020 7271 0600– London 020 7271 0689– Midlands 02476 820086– Northern Ireland 028 9089 4020 – North of England 01904 567990– South West 01392 314617– Scotland 01312 250200– Wales 029 2034 6800

Questions?