Working at the election - Print version

How do I work at the election?

Are you interested in helping us run local and national elections? Each year we employ hundreds of staff at election time to make sure that the process is run smoothly, in an open and transparent way.

Applications to join our staff database are currently closed due to high numbers of applications being received.

Personal requirements

To work at the elections you must:

• be 18 years of age
• have a national insurance number
• have the right to work in the UK
• be able to correspond via email, as all job information/appointments will be shared via email

You do not need to work for the Council already to work for elections.

We also stipulate that you cannot work for elections if you have campaigned on behalf of a candidate or party, nominated a candidate or have a personal relationship with an elected representative or candidate.

What roles are available?

Each year we have vacancies for a range of roles:

• Working in a polling station [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/2]
• Opening and sorting postal votes [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/4] (usually 3-4 days work)
• Counting votes [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/3] overnight or the day after the election

How do I sign up?

Applications are currently closed.

Ahead of each election, we'll contact everyone on our database to ask for their availability and see what roles people are interested in doing.

View the Elections employment privacy notice [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/electionsemploymentprivacynotice].

How we allocate staff

Once staff have told us they're available, we'll allocate on a first-come, first-served basis. 

If staff have expressed a preference for a particular role, or to work with certain colleagues, we will try to take that into account. 

However, the needs of the overall election will take precedence and we will allocate staff as needed to run the election.

For some particular roles allocations will be made based on previous experience and performance.

Working at a polling station

At each election we have over 140 polling stations, based all over the city. Polling staff are responsible for making sure everyone who is entitled to vote is able to, without facing barriers or undue influence.

We need experienced and new staff to work in these polling stations, all day on election day. Each polling station has at least 2 staff allocated to it, with larger stations having more.

Staff are needed from 6.30am - 10.30pm as they are required to be on shift during the whole of polling day.

Working in a polling station is not subject to the European Working Time Directive and due to this there is no guaranteed breaks during the day, and staff are not permitted to leave the station during the day. Staff are required to bring food and drink for the duration of their shift.

Training is online and a face to face briefing for some senior staff.

Presiding Officers

Presiding Officers are responsible for the management of the polling station and supervision of the work carried out by the Poll Clerk(s). The duties include completing official paperwork, opening and closing the polling station, and transporting the ballot box to the Coventry Building Society Arena after the polling station closes. 

The hours of work are 6.30am until you have delivered the ballot box and paperwork to the Coventry Building Society Arena after completing all the paperwork following the close of poll at 10pm.

Poll Clerks

Poll Clerks are appointed to assist the Presiding Officer throughout the day, duties include issuing ballot papers and marking the register, as well as opening and closing the polling station. The hours of work are 6.30am until the polling station has closed and been packed away.

How do I sign up to work in a polling station?

Applications are now closed due to high numbers of applications exceeding the number of roles available.

Working at the election count

Once polls close at 10pm, for most elections we count the votes overnight at the Coventry Building Society Arena. 

We have a number of roles available at the count, which is where we verify and count the votes and sort out the equipment that has been returned from the polling stations.

Count assistants

Counting Assistants help with the counting of ballot papers. Count Assistants sort and count votes accurately and at a reasonable speed, working as part of a team and as instructed by a Senior Count Supervisor. 
The hours of work are 10.15pm until approximately 4am (however this time may vary, and you will be required to stay until we finish) at the count venue. Free parking is provided. Training and instructions will be given. 

Count assistants - unused ballot papers

Count assistants - unused ballot papers count the unused ballot papers returned from the polling stations. We have to account for all of the ballot papers given to the polling stations, whether they have been used by voters or not. 

Staff will count the books of ballot papers and record a figure for each polling station and then box up the ballot papers to go into storage. Staff are required from around 10pm until around 2am for overnight counts.

Ballot box receipt staff

Assist in taking paperwork and ballot boxes from Presiding Officer cars on at the count venue. The hours are approximately 9.30pm to 2am. This job includes manual handling requirements, as you will be carrying filled ballot boxes. Any staff fulfilling these roles will need to be able to work at speed whilst carrying heavy loads. You may also be required to help count unused ballot papers.

If you are allocated to work at the count

Once you've been offered and accepted your role, you will be sent a count ticket through the post. The ticket will explain venue details, parking and what time to arrive.

Online training is usually available before the election, this will be sent out via email in the weeks leading up to the election.

Postal vote opening

Each year we send out around 41,000 postal votes to people all around the city. Once they are returned, they need to be opened and sorted before they are included in the count on election night.

In order to do this, for 3 - 4 days before polling day we have teams opening and sorting the envelopes. 

There is also a postal vote opening session held on Polling day itself, usually at the Count venue.

Postal vote assistants

Returned postal votes are opened, checked and signatures and dates are birth are verified against the original applications. Votes for candidates are not counted as part of this process.

Opening sessions are held every day in the week of the election. There is also a session run at the count itself, as a number of postal votes are returned to polling stations on polling day. You will be required to be available for all the sessions you are appointed to otherwise we will have to withdraw your appointment.

Payment is by the hour, with the exact hours of work dependent on the volume of returned envelopes. 

Full training is provided at the first opening session by experienced supervisors. 

Applications are now closed due to the high number of applications exceeding the number of roles available.

Once you've signed up - what happens next

To apply to work for elections, you need to complete the online form to sign to sign up to the database. Applications are now closed due to the high number of applications exceeding the number of roles available

First, set up your account

Once you've signed up to our database, we will contact you by email to ask you to create an MEA (Mobile Election App) account. You just need to follow the instructions in the email. At this point you will also need to upload images of your Right to Work in the UK documents which will be checked by our staff.

We will then email you ahead of the elections - asking for your availability/preferences

We email all staff who have created an account when we are recruiting. We will ask you to log in to the MEA using the username and password you've set up and then read a letter detailing the date and further key information.

You will then need to either Accept or Decline to work on that election. If you Accept you can then tick the boxes to indicate which roles you would like to be considered for. You can even express a preference in terms of location or colleagues you want to work with in the Notes field.

Then once a job allocation is made, we will email you

Again, you will get an email, this time explaining that you've been offered a role at the election and what to do.

You will need to log into the MEA and read the letter. You can then either "Accept" or "Decline" the job. Again, you can add notes if you need to.

What happens after I've accepted the job?

We'll be in touch with you in the weeks before the election. Exactly how will depend on what role you've been allocated to - see the pages for polling staff [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/2], count staff [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/3] and postal voting staff [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/2434/working_at_the_election/4].