Polling agents are entitled by law to access polling stations for the purpose of detecting personation.1
They can also observe the procedures to be followed inside a polling station.
You must be notified in writing of any polling agents that have been appointed by not later than five working days before the poll for their appointment to be in force for the poll. The Commission has developed the following form for the notification of appointment of a polling agent.2
There is no limit on the number of polling agents that may be appointed at a UK Parliamentary election.
A polling agent can be appointed to a particular polling station or stations, or to all polling stations within the electoral area. The same polling agents may be appointed to attend more than one polling station. However, by law only one polling agent may be admitted at the same time to a polling station on behalf of the same candidate.3
Secrecy and conduct requirements
Anyone attending a polling station has a duty to maintain the secrecy of the ballot. You should supply all Polling Agents with the following requirements of secrecy for the poll.
In particular, the following information must not be disclosed:
the name or electoral number of who has or has not voted
the number or other unique identifying mark on the ballot paper
Anyone attending a polling station must also not try to ascertain how a voter has voted or who they are about to vote for.
A polling agent can mark off on their copy of the register of electors those voters who have applied for ballot papers. If the polling agent leaves the polling station during the hours of polling, they will need to leave the marked copy of the register in the polling station to ensure that secrecy requirements are not breached. Any person found guilty of breaching the secrecy requirements can face an unlimited fine, or may be imprisoned for up to six months.
Polling agents’ seals cannot be attached to ballot boxes at the start of or during the poll.
While a polling agent can observe the poll, they do not have to be present in a polling station for polling and related procedures to take place.