Working for us

Recruiting for Elections in Telford and Wrekin

Earn some extra money and get involved in democracy

Would you like to assist us in the election process by working in a polling station, or counting votes after the close of poll?

Telford & Wrekin Council's Elections team are always on the lookout for motivated staff to fill any vacancies that may occur to ensure that the process is run smoothly, in an open and transparent way.

We hold a database of staff who we contact prior to each election to ask about their availability.

All staff are appointed and employed by the Returning Officer not Telford & Wrekin Council. The council’s normal recruitment policies and procedures, therefore, do not apply to these temporary posts.

Requirements

To undertake election duties you must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age
2. Be entitled to work in the UK (in accordance with the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996) and you must provide proof of right to work in the UK with the required evidence upon application
3. All staff must not work on behalf of a candidate during an election campaign, nor be related to a prospective candidate
4. Polling and count staff must consent to working in excess of the normal working hours provided for by the working time directive

Available Jobs

Polling Station Staff - Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks

Telford and Wrekin has 82 polling stations in operation on polling day. Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks work inside these stations and are responsible for the conduct of the ballot and making sure that the proper procedures for voting are followed. Poll Clerks assist the Presiding Officer who oversees the polling station. To become a Presiding Officer you must have at least three previous election experience as a Poll Clerk.

On polling day, staff are required to work from 6.30am until shortly after 10pm without leaving the polling station.

All staff employed to work at a polling station must complete an online training session a few weeks before the poll. Presiding Officers also compete a training session when they collect their ballot box. 

We also require standby Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks in place on polling day in the event of sickness, non-attendance or emergency. You could be called in at any point before or during polling day up to 9pm.

Count Staff - Count Assistants and Postal Voter Openers

A Count Assistant supports the verification of votes and the counting of votes. 

The Verification usually takes place after the close of poll (10pm on polling day), with the Count commencing either later in the night, or the following working day.

Staff are employed to verify and count the votes cast from the polling stations, together with the postal votes which have been received in the run-up to polling day. This role requires a high level of concentration and accuracy. 

For the verification, count assistants count the total number of ballot papers in a ballot box to check that this matches the number of ballot papers issued at the polling station. The number of ballot papers in the ballot box, known as the verification figure, provides the number which must be balanced to at the count.

For the Count, count assistants sort and count the votes for each candidate whilst placing any doubtful ballots papers to one side for adjudication. The method of counting may differ based upon the type and combination of elections taking place. 

Count Assistants may be required to attend a briefing session which may be scheduled outside of normal office hours.

We also require Postal Vote Openers who will be receipting the postal votes during the run-up to polling day.

Contact us

For more information please email: elections@telford.gov.uk.

Last updated: 03/04/2024 13:55