Performance standards

Performance standards for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) were introduced following the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (EAA). Both sets of Officers report to us on how they have performed against these standards.

Performance standards for Electoral Registration Officers in Great Britain (July 2008) (PDF)
Performance standards for Returning Officers in Great Britain (December 2011) (PDF)

Find out more:

Background to performance standards (PDF)

Consultation on new performance standards for EROs

We have launched a consultation on proposed new performance standards designed to support EROs in meeting the challenges they will face during the transition to individual electoral registration (IER).

The consultation will run until 15 July and new ERO performance standards will be published in September. You can view the consultation paper below:

Consultation on new performance standards for EROs (PDF)

Consultation on new performance standards for EROs - Welsh version (PDF)

May 2013: Report on performance of EROs following 2012 annual canvass

Our fifth annual assessment of ERO performance shows that the majority of Great Britain’s 380 EROs met our performance standards in 2012 – but 33 failed to meet one of the standards.

Although this is very positive overall, 30 EROs failed to meet the standard for house to house enquiries in 2012. House to house enquiries will be an integral aspect of this work so improvements will be needed.

Read our report on performance of EROs in 2012 (PDF)

March 2013: Report on the administration of the elections held on 15 November 2012

We asked all local Returning Officers (LROs) in Great Britain to report on their performance at the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November 2012.

Our report on the administration of the 15 November 2012 election contains a summary of LRO performance against the standards.

Read our report (PDF)