European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath

European Parliamentary Elections 2014Regional Returning Officer South East Region

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European Parliament Elections 2014

Mark Heath


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Background

• The European Parliament Elections (EPEs) are held every 5 years.

• Last EPEs - 4 June 2009. Next - 22nd May 2014• Results will be announced on Sunday 25 May,

after voting has closed throughout the 28 member states at 9:00PM


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There are 12 electoral regions in the UK

Each has a Regional Returning Officer (RRO)

MEPs are elected under a proportional representation system - the d’Hondt system

There is a regional list system with seats allocated to parties in proportion to their share of the vote cast in that region.

The UK will elect 73 MEPs in 2014


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Law

• European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002• EPE Regulations 2004 (as amended by the

European Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2013) – “the conduct regulations”– Reg 6 – Role of LRO / RRO and conduct of poll– Reg 7 – Power to appoint deputies


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– Reg 9: • Rules for conduct of election -Sched 1• Powers of direction by RRO / duty to encourage

participation(LRO and RRO) / power to correct clerical errors(RRO and LRO)

• Power to correct errors(see later)• Duty to encourage participation(RRO/LRO)


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– Reg 15 - Payments to RRO / LRO(Reg 15A – withholding payments)

– Reg 23 + - Election offences– Reg 67 + Schedule 8 – Use of schools and rooms

for election meetings – note role of local authority– Sched 1 - Election Rules– Sched 2 – Absent Voting (postals, proxies etc)– Sched 3 – Modifications to Election Rules for

combined polls


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The RRO and the LRO

RRO responsibilities• Overall management across their Region;• Publishing Notice and taking Nominations;• Receiving Agent appointments;• Determining form of ballot paper;• Receiving/collating verification figures;• Receiving local results;• Calculating result;• Publishing results.


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• LRO responsibilities• Publication of Notices, as directed by RRO;• Printing ballot papers;• Dealing with postal votes, proxies, etc.;• Conduct of the Poll in local counting area;• Issue of poll cards;• Verification;• Secure storage;• Local Count;• Publication of result locally, when approved by RRO.


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Combination - Key Issues

• Local elections / Council Tax referendum / Neighbourhood Planning Referendum etc.;

• A lot more paperwork and procurement;• Plan staffing for PV issues and return;• Take care on combined issue for PVs;• A much bigger task at verification;• Different agents for Euro and local;• Effectively two or more separate election projects

with (significant) overlaps.


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Not the servant of the Board, but ‘the servant of the Act’


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Key Roles for Returning Officers

• To see that everyone who is eligible has the opportunity to vote;

• To ensure that eligible candidates who wish to are able to stand;

• To ensure that the choice of the electorate is implemented; and

• To maintain the integrity of the democratic system.


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Personal requirements

• Understand the role and the function;• Know what has to be done;• Arrange resources;• Demonstrate leadership;• Plan for the unexpected (risk management);• Be decisive.


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The common factors when it has gone wrong…

• No proper project planning;• No risk assessment and risk management;• Lack of staff training;• Ignoring the basics;• Not following the law;• Outsourcing without proper procurement and

checking procedures.

Basically –professional project management.


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Key messages

• Plan and manage all stages of the process;• Have a clear management chain and know your role

within it;• If errors occur – don’t panic, but seize the initiative and

act decisively;• Take legal advice where possible;• Record carefully what happened, action taken and

why;• Stick to the law – shield and sword; • Remember the 4 key roles….


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What we know…..

• Who the designated RROs are;

• Ballot paper colour (white);

• The date of election – 22nd May 2014;• Conduct rules - European Parliamentary Elections

(Amendment) Regulations 2013;

• Indemnity, not insurance for EPEs;

– Remember to check what you have in place locally for any

other polls and check the excess


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• Job descriptions for RRO / LRO;

• Election timetable;• New Performance Indicators from the Electoral

Commission;• There will be a Fees and Charges Order +

guidance shortly…..


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Candidates / Parties

• How many? Is there a printer capacity issue? If

so, what is your contingency plan?

• Free mailings –Reg 63;

• “Celebrities”;

• RRO will have Comms arrangements – LRO?


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Sweep

To sweep, or not to sweep?


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Power to correct procedural errors

• EPE Regs 2004 - Reg 9(4A) ;• LRO / RRO “may take such steps as s/he thinks

appropriate to remedy any act or omission on his part, or on the part of a relevant person”;

• Relevant persons include ERO, PO, provider of goods or services, an appointed deputy;

• Cannot cover recounting votes after declaration of ‘wrong’ result(Reg 9(4B));

• If used, check with RRO 1st (I would suggest)and keep notes of what you did and why….

A shield – not a sword.


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Also – “Don’t Panic”

• The law assumes that the RO will run the election independently, and properly;

• On petition, the Courts will only interfere if the election was not run substantially in accordance with the law and the rules - AND any breach materially affected the result (Reg 9(5)).


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A quick word about numbers…

• The accuracy of the Count process is a key part of getting it right;

• It starts with verification of the ballot boxes against the ballot paper accounts;

• Verification figure is vital;• Accuracy is vital through to the counting of votes for each

candidate or party;• If there are material discrepancies anywhere, that will lead

to mistrust of the process, and of the result.

• If it’s not right, it’s wrong!


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Fraud: cause for concern

• Registration;• Postal Votes;• Proxies;• Undue pressure;• Bribery.

• Electoral Commission Report – January 2014 - Electoral fraud in the UK


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Fraud – what to do?

• Every force should have a single point of contact on electoral issues;

• Know your SPOC;• Record all details, so there is a prime record;• Pass it to the Police.

Documents

European Parliamentary Elections 2014 Regional Returning Officer South East Region 1 European Parliament Elections 2014 Mark Heath