Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1XZ
Tel: 01843 577500 / Fax: 01843 290906
Email: electoral.services@thanet .gov.uk / www.thanet.gov.uk
23 April 2015
Election Agent Information
Important election information is included in this letter, such as dates and times for key election timetable events. If you would like additional information please contact Electoral Services on the direct-dial number (01843) 577021.
1. Situation of each Polling Station
Full details can be found on the Website.
2. Issue and opening of Postal Votes
Postal votes will be delivered by Royal Mail from the 22 April 2015. The opening of the postal votes will take place on the following dates in the Austen Room at the Council Offices, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 1XZ:
First opening of postal votes - 24 April 2015 at 10.00am
Followed by - 25 April 2015 at 10.00am
- 27 April 2015 at 10.00am
- 28 April 2015 at 10.00am
- 29 April 2015 at 10.00am
- 30 April 2015 at 10.00pm
- 1 May 2015 at 10.00am
- 2 May 2015 at 10.00am
- 3 May 2015 at 10.00am
- 5 May 2015 at 10.00am
- 7 May 2015 at 10.00am
Last opening session - 7 May 2015 at 10.00pm
You may appoint ONE (1) person to attend each opening session.
If you have not already appointed someone to attend. You are advised to fill out the attached form. This form needs to be returned by Wednesday 29 April 2015.
3. Requirement of Secrecy
I must bring to your attention the provisions of Section 66 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. A copy is attached to this letter.
4. Tellers
I enclose a copy of the guide for tellers. All Polling Station staff have also been given a copy.
5. Name and Address of Publisher and Printer on Election Publications
The name and address of the publisher and printer must be printed on all election material such as posters or other documents displayed or distributed for the purpose of promoting the elections.
It is an illegal practice not to do this. If a candidate is found by an election court to be personally guilty or guilty by virtue of the ommissions of their agents, the election may be declared void.
Yours sincerely
Madeline Homer
ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OFFICER
FORM 1
Thanet District Council (Parl)
Election of Member of Parliament for
______Constituency
on Thursday 7 May 2015
Notice of appointment of Counting Agent(s)
I, ______Election Agent for ______who is a candidate at the above mentioned election wish to appoint the following person as a Counting Agent:
Name of Counting Agent / AddressOR Name of candidates spouse/partner: / Address
Dated this / Day of / 2016
Signed
Election Agent
Note. – This notice must be delivered to Acting Returning Officer,Election Office, Council Offices, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent not later than Wednesday 29 April 2015.
DECLARATION OF SECRECY
ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS
To persons attending at the taking of the poll or the counting of votes at this election
Your attention is drawn to the provisions of Section 66, sub-section (1), (2), (3) and (6) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, which are set out below.
These provisions concern the maintaining of secrecy of the voting and should be read carefully before you attend at any polling station or at the counting of the votes.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE ACT, 1983 - Section 66, sub-sections (1), (2), (3) (6)
1. The following persons:-
(a) every Returning Officer and every Presiding Officer or clerk attending at a polling station;
(b) every candidate or election agent or polling agent so attending;
shall maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and shall not, except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate to any person before the poll is closed any information as to -
(i) the name of any elector or proxy for an elector who has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station;
(ii) the number on the register of electors of any elector who, or whose proxy, has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station; or
(iii) the official mark.
2. Every person attending at the counting of the votes shall maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and shall not -
(a) ascertain or attempt to ascertain at the counting of the votes the number on the back of any ballot paper;
(b) communicate any information obtained at the counting of the votes as to the candidate for whom any vote is given on any particular ballot paper.
3. No person shall -
(a) interfere with or attempt to interfere with a voter when recording his vote;
(b) otherwise obtain or attempt to obtain in a polling station information as to the candidate for whom a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted;
(c) communicate at any time to any person any information obtained in a polling station as to the candidate for whom a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted, or as to the number on the back of the ballot paper given to a voter at that station;
(d) directly or indirectly induce a voter to display his ballot paper after he has marked it so as to make known to any person the name of the candidate for whom he has not has not voted.
6. If any person acts in contravention of this section, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
A Guide for Tellers
Introduction
A Candidate, Election Agent or Polling Agent may employ 'Tellers' or 'Checkers' to gather election day information concerning the progress of the poll.
This is a well established practice, but the activities of Tellers can sometime be confusing or even intimidating so far as the electors are concerned, and can lead to complaints and disputes.
The purpose of these guidance notes is to help ensure that the activities of Tellers remain within the bounds of what is acceptable.
The Legal Position
Tellers have no status as far as the electoral law is concerned. They should not be confused with Polling Agents, whose appointment and duties are prescribed by the Representation of the People Acts.
Tellers are not among the categories of people admitted to the polling station.
Activities of Tellers
Tellers must not give the impression that they are employed by the Returning Officer.
Tellers should concern themselves ONLY with checking who has voted. Anything else could give rise to allegations of undue influence or simply antagonise voters.
In particular, Tellers must not hand out election material or otherwise try to influence the way an elector will vote. Nor should they ask voters who they intend to vote for or how they voted.
The usual means of telling is to ask voters for their poll card or electoral number.
If a voter does not have a poll card, then he or she may be asked to give their name and address.
Voters are not obliged to hand over their poll card or comply with any request for information. Tellers must not give the impression that information must be provided for official purposes.
Location of Teller
The Polling Station is the area containing the polling booths, ballot box and the Presiding Officer's and Poll Clerk's desk.
Tellers must not enter the polling station under any circumstances except for the lawful purpose of casting their own vote, voting as an officially appointed proxy or accompanying a blind voter.
Tellers should conduct their activities outside the polling station.
At the discretion of the presiding officer Tellers may be allowed inside the building where polling is taking place - but not inside the area being used as the Polling Station.
Party Colours
There is no objection to Tellers wearing rosettes in party colours in order to make it clear to voters that they are party workers and not polling station officials. However, the name of the candidate they support should not be worn.
Note
The Presiding Officer is responsible for the lawful conduct of the election at his/her polling station, and has powers to ensure that no irregularity, nor intimidation of voters takes place.
Any decision of the Presiding Officer with regard to the Polling Station and its precincts is final.
Mark as per candidate's declarationReturn of Candidate's Election Expenses: Election of a Councillor
Authority / Thanet District Council (Parl)
Electoral Area
Date of Election / Thursday 7 May 2015
Date election result declared
Statutory maximum expenses limit for this candidate (taking into account any relevant reductions for joint candidates) / £
Full name of Candidate
Date on which person became a candidate
Registered party (if applicable)
Date on which election agent was appointed
Name of election agent
1. I am the person named above [as election agent at this election] [as candidate at this election, and was my own election agent].
2. I hereby make the following return of [the candidate's] [my] election expenses at this election.
Signature of Agent / Date
Part 1: Election expenses
· For detailed information on the correct completion of part 1 of this return please refer to "candidate's election expenses return: guidance notes"
· In part 1a please provide sub-totals for all categories of expenditure, if no expenses have been incurred against that category please mark as nil.
· Please note that no item of expenditure should fall under more than one category of expenditure (A-H). For information on categorising items of expenditure please refer to the guidance notes.
· In part 1b please provide details of every item of expenditure incurred and every payment made (except unpaid and disputed claims). Where an expense has been incurred in respect of more than one candidate please clearly identify this providing the total expenditure incurred, the number of candidates the expense relates to and the expenditure incurred in relation to this candidate's return.
· For every reported payment of more than £20 a copy of the relevant receipt or invoice must be submitted.
· If an item of expenditure, other than petty expenditure, has been incurred by a person authorised in writing by the election agent to do so, section 75(2) of the RPA requires that a separate return as to that expenditure be submitted by the person who incurred the expense. That expenditure must also be reported within part 1a and 1b of this return in the same way as any other election expense, and the listed under part 1d of this return so such items of expenditure can be identified.
· Please ensure that all declarations are signed and dated.
1a: Statement of election expenses
Category / Item No
(as reported under 1b) / Amount
(as reported under 1b) / £ / pp
A. Statement of all payments made by the election agent
B. Statement of all payments made by the candidate before an election agent was appointed
C. Statement of all payments made by a person (authorised by the election agent) in respect of petty expenditure
D. Statement of all unpaid claims
E. Statement of all disputed claims
F. Expenditure incurred prior to the date a person became a candidate
I hereby declare that the total amount of election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate by virtue of s.90(A) (5)(b) was:
Agent's signature
G. Value of notional expenditure incurred
I hereby declare that the following individual amount(s) of expenditure incurred under s.90C of the RPA 1983 and listed fully below in part 1b of this return represent(s) the true and full value as calculated in accordance with that section:
Enter category G total below
Agent's signature
H. Value of expenditure incurred for purposes other than the election
I hereby declare that the following individual amount(s) of expenditure incurred under s.74A of the RPA 1983 and listed fully below in part 1b of this return represent(s) the true and full value as calculated in accordance with s.90B of that Act:
Enter category H total below
Agent's signature
Total election expenditure
1b: Election expenditure breakdown
Details of all expenditure (except unpaid and/or disputed claims) making up the total election expenditure figure should be provided below.
To allow cross-referencing between each item of expenditure reported here and the category sub-totals provided in part 1a please ensure that the correct category reference is provided for every reported item.
Item No / Category
(A-H) / Receipt or invoice submitted
(Y/N) / Item/service / Name and address of supplier / Name of person who made payment / Date(s) or period expenditure incurred.
(Where applicable clearly enter the dates of receipt and payment of invoice) / Amount paid or value of expenditure / Commercial value of item
(category G expenditure only) / Original purchase price of item
(category H expenditure only)
£ / pp
Total of part 1b
1b: Election expenditure breakdown continued
Item No / Category
(A-H) / Receipt or invoice submitted
(Y/N) / Item/service / Name and address of supplier / Name of person who made payment / Date(s) or period expenditure incurred.
(Where applicable clearly enter the dates of receipt and payment of invoice) / Amount paid or value of expenditure / Commercial value of item
(category G expenditure only) / Original purchase price of item
(category H expenditure only)
£ / pp
Total of part 1b
1c: Statement of unpaid and/or disputed claims
Item / Name and address of supplier / Value (£) / Date invoice received / Disputed claims: nature of dispute & action to be taken / Unpaid Claims: Name of court to which application has been/is to be made & date of application
1d: Statement of all expenditure reported for which a return is also required under s.75(2)
Item No
(as reported under 1b) / Amount / Name of person who incurred expenditure
Any person authorised in writing to incur expenditure, other than petty expenditure, is required under section 75(2) of the RPA to submit a return of that expenditure to the proper officer within 21 days of the day of the result of the election has been declared.
In the space provided please enter details of any such items of expenditure which should also be included in part 1b of this return (and should make up part of the total election expenditure reported under 1a).
Part 2: Donations
2a / Statement of amount of money (if any) provided by the candidate to meet election expenses: / £
2b / Donations (of over £50)
Permissible donations received (please note that for donations from exempt trusts, an attachment sheet containing all relevant information is required):
Name, address and status of donor / Date / Cash amount/value & nature
Received / Accepted
Donations received from unidentifiable donors:
Name and address of donor / Date received / Cash amount/value & nature / Date and manner in which donation dealt
Donations received from other impermissible donors:
Name and address of donor / Date received / Cash amount/value & nature / Date and manner in which donation dealt
Declaration by candidate as toelection expenses
Parliamentary Elections
To be completed by candidate to accompany the return of election expensesPlease note: There is no longer any requirement for this declaration to be signed
by a Justice of the Peace
Electoral Area:
Date of Publication of the Notice of Election: / Monday 16 March 2015
Date of Election: / Thursday, 7 May 2015
Full name of candidate:
Declaration by candidate
I solemnly and sincerely declare as follows:
1. I am the person named above as candidate at this election [and was my own election agent]
2. I have examined the return of election expenses [about to be] [delivered] by [my election agent] [me] to the returning officer, of which a copy is now shown to me and marked:
and to the best of my knowledge and belief it is a complete and accurate return as required by law.
3. To the best of my knowledge and belief, all expenses shown in the return as paid were paid [by my election agent] [by me], except as otherwise stated.
Signature of declarant
Date
Declaration by election agent as toelection expenses