Guidance for (Acting) Returning Officers administering a UK Parliamentary election in Great Britain

Polling station log

You should prepare a polling station log for polling station staff to use to record any problems or anomalies. 

You should instruct polling station staff to record in the polling station log:

  • any instances where they are required to ask the prescribed questions as a result of suspected personation, making notes of as much information as possible, for example, any distinguishing characteristics, which may help any future investigation. Appendix 7 of the polling station handbook sets out the procedure for dealing with personation, which involves asking the prescribed questions.  
  • the name and address of any voter who is unable to vote for any administrative reason 
  • anything that may help to explain any issues with the ballot paper account at the verification – for example, if a voter has been seen leaving the polling station with a ballot paper. You should consider instructing Presiding Officers to keep the log and ballot paper account together when delivering the ballot papers to the count.
  • the details of all those who are present in polling stations for the purpose of observing proceedings, including visits from the Police and RO staff
  • any times when they temporarily limited the number of observers that can stay in the polling station, to ensure that the poll can proceed effectively
  • instances where they observe someone attempting to accompany a voter into the voting booth who is not their appointed companion or a child, and the actions that followed
  • if a political campaigner has advised them that they are handing in postal votes for people who are not close relatives or people for whom they provide care but refuses to hand over the postal votes for rejection
  • any feedback on the use of any specific equipment provided to the polling station 
  • useful details of any difficult situations encountered

If you are concerned that personation may have taken place at a polling station you should contact your police single point of contact (SPOC) and you can also contact your local Commission team for additional support. You can find further information in our guidance on maintaining the integrity of the election

Last updated: 21 February 2024