Elections to the European Parliament took place on 4 June 2009. On this page we have brought together all of our planning materials and publications for these elections. Unless otherwise specified, the documents on this page apply to Great Britain only and not to Northern Ireland.
Please note: If you are not an electoral administrator and are looking for information about the electoral register or registering to vote, please visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.
Welsh language resources and guidance |
Planning materials
- Election timetable (DOC)
- Project planner (DOC)
- Risk register (DOC)
- Part B - Preparing for a European Parliamentary election (PDF)
- Royal Mail's postal voting best practice guide (PDF)
Guidance for Regional Returning Officers
Guidance for Local Returning Officers
- Managing a European Parliamentary election in Great Britain - Guidance manual for Local Returning Officers (all parts) (PDF)
- Click here to download individual sections of the Guidance manual for Local Returning Officers in either English or Welsh
- Count placemat (PDF)
- Doubtful ballot paper booklet (PDF)
- Note on the verification and count processes (DOC)
- Template guidance notes for verification and count staff (DOC)
- Template count announcements (DOC)
Support for polling station staff
- Handbook for polling station staff (PDF)
- Quick guide for polling station staff (PDF)
- Advice to the Presiding Officer regarding personation (DOC)
- Polling station log for electors arriving to vote but shown as absent voters on the register (DOC)
Other online support products
FAQsPolling stations
- Briefing session for polling station staff (PPT)
- Scenarios/quiz for use at sessions for the briefing of polling station staff (DOC)
- Sample ballot paper accounts (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council in 2004, but may be adapted to fit local circumstances)(PDF)
- Close of poll packing instructions (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council) (PDF)
- Artwork that can be used to create personalised close of poll packing instructions (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council)(JPEG)
- Template PowerPoint for the briefing of postal vote opening staff (PPT)
- Template postal vote issuing flowchart (DOC)
- Template postal vote opening flowchart (DOC)
- Template postal vote matching spreadsheet (XLS)
- Template note for postal vote opening staff (DOC)
- Summary of roles and responsibilities of agents, sub-agents, polling agents, counting agents, postal voting agents and tellers (DOC)
- Template briefing of local agents (PPT)
Products for the combined European and local government elections in England
Support for polling station staff
- Combined handbook for polling station staff (PDF)
- Combined quick guide for polling station staff (PDF)
Other online support products
FAQs
Polling stations
- Briefing session for polling station staff at a combined European Parliamentary and local government election (PPT)
- Scenarios for use at briefing sessions for polling station staff at a combined European Parliamentary and local government election (DOC)
- Sample ballot paper accounts (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council in 2004, but may be adapted to fit local circumstances)(PDF)
- Close of poll packing instructions (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council for combined local government elections in 2008, but can be adapted to fit local circumstances)(PDF)
- Artwork that can be used to create personalised close of poll packing instructions (produced by Pembrokeshire County Council)(JPEG)
Postal voting
- Template PowerPoint for the briefing of postal vote opening staff (PPT)
- Template postal vote issuing flowchart (DOC)
- Template postal vote matching spreadsheet where issue has been combined (XLS)
- Template postal vote opening flowchart (DOC)
- Template guidance notes for postal vote opening staff (DOC)
Count
- Guidance notes on the verification and count processes (DOC)
- Template count announcements (DOC)
- Template guidance notes for verification and count staff (DOC)
Agents and tellers
Planning
As the Local Returning Officer is not the same person as the local government Returning Officer under legislation, the following products have been developed as if two different Returning Officers will in practice be involved in the combined European Parliamentary and local government election. These cover the responsibilities of the local government Returning Officer, including those duties relating to a European Parliamentary election that the combination rules require to be carried out by the local government Returning Officer.
Many local government Returning Officers will designate European Parliamentary Local Returning Officers as their deputies, which means that the same person will, in practice, be administering both polls. In that case, Local Returning Officers should use the following templates in conjunction with the above products for a stand-alone European Parliamentary election:
- Combined project planner for county ROs/ European Parliamentary LROs appointed as deputy county ROs (DOC)
- Combined risk register for county ROs/European Parliamentary LROs appointed as deputy county ROs (DOC)
For information and support products specific to the local government elections in England, please visit our local elections page.
Data collection
Circular EC07/2009 was sent out to all administrators on 17 April requesting the following information by Friday, 26 June.
- Electoral data: Form R (Form K for local government elections); declaration of results; additional data on postal votes.
- Feedback on the experience of administering the 4 June 2009 European Parliamentary and the local government elections in England
Guidance for registered parties, candidates and agents
Please note: this guidance on standing for election is for registered parties, candidates and agents at the European Parliamentary election in June only. For guidance on standing at a local government election, please see our local elections page.
- Guidance for registered parties, candidates and agents (PDF), 4 June 2009
- Erratum sheet to be inserted into the Guidance for registered parties, candidates and agents (PDF)
- Guidance for candidates and agents in Northern Ireland (PDF), 4 June 2009
- Royal Mail freepost guidance (PDF)
Integrity
All our integrity products for the 4 June elections can be viewed on our dedicated integrity page.
Questions
If you have any queries about any of the above products, please contact your nearest Electoral Commission office.
