Combined Guidance for Returning Officers at Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in England

As RO, you play a central role in the democratic process. Your role is to ensure that the election is administered effectively and that, as a result, the experience of voters and those standing for election is a positive one. You should set out at an early stage what you want to achieve and what success would look like for you. You must also consider accessibility for voters at polling stations. Our guidance on assistance with voting for disabled people provides further information.

As RO you are personally responsible for the conduct of a local government election, including:

• publishing the local government notice of election1
• administering the nomination process at the local election2
• printing the local government ballot papers3
• publishing the notice of poll and the local statement of persons nominated4  
• managing the postal voting process
• verifying and counting the votes for the local election5
• declaring the local election results6

For combined local government and PCC elections, as local government RO you will also take on responsibility for the combined elements of the poll, including:

• the provision of polling stations7
• appointing Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks8
• conducting the poll9
• publishing the notice of situation of polling stations10
• the equipment of polling stations11
• the notification of the secrecy requirements at polling stations12
• signing certificates of employment for polling station staff allowing them to vote at the polling station they are working at, as opposed to the one allocated to them13
• authorisation to order the removal of persons from polling stations14
• verification of all ballot papers15

Where it has been decided to combine the issue of postal votes:16  

• the corresponding number list 
• the issue of postal votes including creating a copy of the postal voters’ list and proxy postal voters’ list and marking it on issue
• the opening of postal vote envelopes including the marking of the returned postal vote statements on the lists and the verification of the personal identifiers on the returned postal voting statements

As LRO, in your voting area you are personally responsible for:

• printing of the ballot papers (unless the PARO has given notice that they will take on responsibility for this)17
• management of the postal vote process at the PCC election (but only if the decision has been taken to not combine the issue of postal votes at the local and PCC elections)18
• the verification and counting of the votes for your voting area (unless the PARO has given notice that they will take on responsibility for this)19
• transmission of the local total for the voting area to the PARO20

Police Area Returning Officer (PARO)  

The PARO is responsible for the overall conduct of the PCC election, and for liaising with and co-ordinating the work of LROs in the police area. 

The PARO has the power to give general or specific directions to LROs relating to the discharge of their functions at the PCC election, including directions requiring LROs to take specified preparatory steps or to provide any information that they have or are entitled to have.

Our guidance for PAROs outlines the role and responsibility of the PARO. 

Your duties as RO are separate from your duties as a local government officer. As RO you are not responsible to the local authority but are directly accountable to the courts as an independent statutory office holder.

While you can appoint one or more persons to discharge any or all of your functions as RO, you cannot delegate your personal responsibility for delivering the election.1 You can find further information in our guidance on the appointment of deputies.