General Election 2019 jobs: how to work at your local polling station

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Members of the public can make almost £300 on polling day by working, as councils scramble to organise staff for the last-minute December election.

With just five weeks to go, local authorities across the UK are in search of presiding officers, clerks, counting assistants, and runners to staff polling stations on 12 December 2019.

Anyone can apply for the roles - you do not have to be a civil servant, or have a particular set of qualifications.

What are the jobs?

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There is no set amount that councils pay for election roles, but many offer more than £200 to prospective polling clerks and presiding officers.There is no set amount that councils pay for election roles, but many offer more than £200 to prospective polling clerks and presiding officers.
There is no set amount that councils pay for election roles, but many offer more than £200 to prospective polling clerks and presiding officers.

Polling clerks and presiding officers

Polling clerks and presiding officers are required to set up polling stations across the UK - making sure schools, churches, and village halls are properly equipped for the election.

They will work together to oversee the vote on 12 December, explaining the process to the public, and making sure records are kept.

Polling clerks and presiding officers will need to work from around 6am until 10pm to make sure the process goes smoothly.

Polling station staff are not allowed to leave the premises during polling hours to make sure the integrity of the voting system is not put at risk. They are also forbidden to wear any colours associated with a political party, such as blue, red, or yellow, and cannot discuss politics with the public, in case it influences their vote.

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Runners

Runners take the filled ballot boxes from polling stations and deliver them to the location where they will be counted - often a large sports hall.

Their job begins once the polls have closed at 10pm, and after the last person at each polling station has voted.

Counting Assistants

Counting assistants are needed from around midnight until the early hours of the morning, and are responsible for collecting the boxes of ballots from the runners and counting them.

On rare occasions, they may also be required to recount the ballots in cases where the result is too close to call.

How much can I earn?

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There is no set amount that councils pay for election roles, but many offer more than £200 to prospective polling clerks and presiding officers. Many local authorities also pay people for the training required for each role.

Counting assistants can earn as much as £10 per hour for their work on election night.

You will need to contact your local council to find out which roles it is looking for.

You can find details of your council here.

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