MAY 2019 ELECTIONS

1. MAY 2019 ELECTIONS Candidates and agents briefing 17 April 2019

2. Housekeeping Please turn all mobile phones off or to silent There are no fire alarm tests today - if alarm goes go to the nearest fire exit and follow directions from staff.

3. Introductions • The Returning Officer is responsible for running the local elections • Margaret Reed is the Returning Officer for the South and Vale district and parish elections • The Electoral Registration Officer is responsible for maintaining the registers of electors and absent voters lists. Margaret Reed is also the Electoral Registration Officer • Deputy Returning Officers: • Steven Corrigan • Susan Baker • Marcia Beviere • David Garner

4. Aims of this briefing • To give an overview of the electoral procedures for agents for the district and parish elections • To give information up to and including the counts • General information regarding the election processes

5. Areas to be covered • Timetable • Appointments of agents • Postal votes • Registers • Counts • Security

6. May 2019 elections • District council elections South Oxfordshire (all out – 21 wards all contested) Vale of White Horse (all out – 24 wards all contested except one) One uncontested Vale election (in Kingston Bagpuize) • Contested parish council elections South Oxfordshire - 14 town/parish councils/wards Vale of White Horse - 13 town/parish councils/wards

7. Process to date • Received a total of 1175 nominations • South district – 103 • South parish – 572 • Vale district – 96 • Vale parish – 404 • Feedback on nominations process welcome • Registration forms deadline was midnight Friday 12 April • Postal vote application deadline was 5pm Monday 15 April

8. Information available • Electoral Commission guidance for candidates and agents including • election timetables • polling agent, postal voting and counting agents’ appointment forms • requests for electoral register and absent voters’ list • code of conduct for campaigners – postal voting, proxy voting and polling stations • tellers’ guidance and dos and don’ts All are available from the Electoral Commission website http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent

9. Statutory deadlines • Publication of notice of poll/situation of polling stations – not later than Wednesday 24 April • Deadline for application for a new proxy vote – 5pm Wednesday 24 April • Appointment of counting and polling agents – Thursday 25 April

10. Statutory deadlines contd • Thursday 2 May – POLLING DAY • 5pm deadline to apply to vote by proxy on grounds of medical emergency or if unexpectedly called away because of employment or service • 5pm deadline for re-issue of spoilt or lost postal votes at Milton Park • 9pm last time to alter register due to clerical error • Return of election expenses – 7 June 2019

11. Access to electoral register/absent voters’ list • Available to candidates for each election provided a written request to the electoral registration officer is made • Registers can only be used for the following permitted purposes: - to assist candidates in their campaign - to check that any donations/loans are permissible It is unlawful to use for other than electoral purposes

12. Electoral Commission code of conduct for campaigners Campaigners are an essential element of a healthy democracy, but their activities should not bring into question the integrity of the electoral process • Absent vote applications: • make sure electors understand implications of absent vote • do not encourage postal ballot pack redirection • do not encourage electors to appoint a campaigner as a proxy • Postal ballot packs: • never touch a postal ballot paper or observe electors completing their postal vote • do not encourage electors to give you their completed postal ballot paper or envelope • Polling stations: • keep access to polling places and the pavements around polling places clear to allow voters to enter • please do not park vehicles displaying election material outside or near polling stations

13. Campaigning – code of conduct Tellers have no legal status Please issue campaigners with a copy of the Electoral Commission Tellers guidance and Tellers Dos and Don’ts There should be no more than one teller at a polling station for each candidate/party at any time Tellers MUST: • always remain outside the polling station i.e. room within which voting is taking place Tellers MUST NOT: • be able to see or hear what is happening in the polling station • impede, obstruct or intimidate voters • demand information • use undue influence Tellers MAY: • display a coloured rosette or badge displaying the name of the candidate, party and/or emblem or description; the rosette/badge should not bear a slogan and must not be oversized

14. Campaigning • Use imprints on all your campaign material, it is advisable to include it on all website and social media material • Political signs on the highway need county council approval • Political signs generally need approval of the landowner • Do not produce material that looks like a poll card or ballot paper • Do not pay people to display your adverts (unless they display adverts as part of their normal business, e.g. newspapers)

15. Postal votes • Combined issue for district/parish • The first batch of postal votes were despatched to Royal Mail on Monday 15 April • The second and final batch will be despatched to Royal Mail on or about Thursday 18 April • Overseas electors’ packs will be issued as soon as practicable from the printers

16. Postal vote opening • All postal vote opening sessions (except the final one) will be at Council Offices, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, Abingdon OX14 4SB in Meeting Room 1 (ground floor) for South and Meeting Rooms 5, 6 and 7 (second floor) for Vale • The purpose of agents attending is to oversee the process and not to tally votes cast • Opening sessions are: • Thursday 18 April from 11am • Tuesday 23 April to Friday 26 April from 10am • Monday 29 April to Wednesday 1 May from 10am • Thursday 2 May from 10am (at Milton Park) • Thursday 2 May from 9pm until finish (at the leisure centre) • Depending on the number of postal votes, some sessions may finish early/late • Immediately prior to these sessions staff will slit the outer envelopes in preparation for processing

17. Postal vote opening agents The number of postal vote opening agents that can be appointed is as follows: • Postal vote opening agents per candidate: • District 1 agent • Parish 1 agent • Note that not all the opening sessions may take place or may shorten due to the volumes of votes returned.

18. Polling day • Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm • Staff instructed to show ballot box empty prior to sealing if candidates/agents are present at the opening of the poll • Separate ballot box for each election • Voters at the polling station in a queue in the polling station at 10pm will be allowed to vote • Voters will not be allowed to join queues after 10pm • Postal votes – can be handed into polling stations within ward relevant to the vote or delivered to the elections office until 10pm

19. Verification and counts • The venue for the district and parish counts will be: White Horse Tennis and Leisure Centre, Abingdon-on-Thames OX14 3PJ • Count centre will open at 9.45pm • There is likely to be a queue to drive into the leisure centre car park between 10.30pm and 11.30pm when most ballot boxes are arriving – please avoid arriving at this time or walking through the drop off area • Candidates, election agents, counting agents and one other person appointed by the candidate are entitled to attend • Agents need to manage arrival time and expectations of candidates of the likely timetable, and car sharing is advisable

20. Verification • Verification of postal votes will start at 10pm • Verification will start as soon as the ballot boxes arrive from the polling stations • Once the votes are verified the district ballot papers will start to be counted (approx. 2am on Friday) • Please manage expectations on timings and explain that at times count staff will be awaiting clearance before going on to the next steps • At the conclusion of the verification ballot papers will be mixed for each district ward and parish/parish ward

21. Candidates – verification counting agents Please note these allocations are limited by the venue capacity; all candidates and election agents are eligible to attend this • Verification counting agents per candidate • District 1 agent • Parish 1 agent • Please note that on completion of the verification for all elections the parish candidates and agents may be asked to leave the count venue prior to the district count commencing

22. District counts • Candidates, election agents, counting agents and one other person appointed by the candidate are entitled to attend • Counts will be undertaken in alphabetical order for single member wards and alphabetical order for multi-member wards for each district – but we reserve the right to vary this to ensure efficient working (e.g. to start a longer count slightly earlier in the process) • Where possible we will block vote two and three member wards before using new permanent “Kangaroo Boards” (as an alternative to sticking ballot papers onto “grass skirts”) • Results will be uploaded to the councils’ websites and displayed on screens in the foyer of the count venue • Estimated time for completion of counts is 8am – no winner speeches

23. Parish counts • Counts will start at midday on Friday 3 May • Counts will be undertaken in alphabetical order for single member wards and alphabetical order for multi-member wards/parishes – but we reserve the right to vary this to ensure efficient working • Where possible we will block vote first – likely to be in some town wards • Most counts will be carried out using new permanent “Kangaroo Boards” (as an alternative to sticking ballot papers onto “grass skirts”) • Results will be provided to the relevant parish councils

24. Candidates – local election counting agents The number of the various agents that can be appointed is as follows: • Local election counting agents per candidate • district 2 agents • parish 1 agent Please note these allocations are limited by the venue capacity; all local candidates and election agents are eligible to attend

25. Police and security • The police will be visiting polling stations throughout polling day • There will also be a police presence at the count venue • Please assist with security on the day by not bringing large bags to the count – they may be searched • Only those authorised to be at the count are guaranteed entry so you must bring the relevant paperwork • Any incidents should be reported to the police using 101 or 999 as appropriate

26. Police – contraventions of electoral law • Please refer any alleged contraventions of electoral law to the police SPOC DS Conor Breen Economic Crime Unit – Headquarters North Email: ECUElectoral@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk • Be prepared to give the police a statement and to substantiate any allegations

27. Spending issues

28. Candidate spending • Defined as certain expenses ‘used for the purposes of the candidate’s election’ during the regulated period. • Responsibility of election agent • Limit on expenses: • £740 + 6 pence per elector in ward on register in force on Tuesday 26 March • reduced for joint candidates • Must get and keep receipts (over £20)

29. Candidates’ spending returns • Returns due 35 calendar days after result of election – 7 June 2019 • Returns made public by Returning Officer • Sample of returns may be reviewed by the Electoral Commission • Failure to submit a spending return is a criminal offence enforceable by police • No spending will be reimbursed

30. Candidates’ spending • Candidates’ spending is regulated by the Electoral Commission and is laid out in the Candidates and Agents Guidance • Any enquiries should be referred to the Electoral Commission www.electoralcommission.org.uk Contacts at the commission: Tel: 0333 103 1928pef@electoralcommission.org.uk

31. Electoral guidance • Please use the Electoral Commission Guidance for Candidates and Agents. This guidance is comprehensive and covers all aspects of the election process • Please download the guidance to party supporters, such as tellers, and issue copies to them. • Electoral Commission website for candidates and agents http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent

32. Contacts

33. Contacts • Elections office – elections@southandvale.gov.ukor telephone 01235 422528 or visit our websites at www.southoxon.gov.uk and www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk • Electoral Commission contacts - telephone 0333 103 1928 or website www.electoralcommission.org.uk

34. ANY questions?

35. Thank you Please sign the attendance sheet and provide your contact details