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

Print full guidance

Planning for the election

Early preparation for the next UKPGE (PDF)
Absent voters' list request form (DOC)
Ballot paper account exercise (DOCX)
Briefing for candidates and agents - UK Parliamentary election (PPTX)
Checklist for polling station inspectors (DOCX)
Close of poll packing instructions UKPGE (DOCX)
FAQs for frontline staff UK Parliamentary general election (DOCX)
Forensic Science Service guidance
UKPGE Election timetable generic (DOCX)
UKPE By election timetable generic (DOCX)
2017 Guidance on preventing and detecting electoral fraud in Scotland
Making your mark - design guidance for EAs
Nomination papers - UK Parliamentary General Election (DOCX)
Personation advice for Presiding Officers (PDF)
Personation advice for Presiding Officers Bilingual/ Cyngor i Swyddogion Llywyddu ar gambersonadu VID(PDF)
Polling Station Handbook UKPGE 2024 (PDF)
Polling station handbook erratum insert: UK Parliamentary election (PDF)
Polling station quick guide - UK Parliamentary election 2024 (PDF)
Polling station staff briefing - UK Parliamentary election (PPTX)
Polling station scenarios for polling station staff - UKPGE (DOCX)
Polling station quiz - UKPGE (DOCX)
Project plan UKPGE EA (XLSX)
Register request form (DOCX)
Risk register UKPGE EA (XLSX)
Secrecy requirements - the poll (DOCX)
Tips on managing the media at the count (DOC)

Starting the election timetable 

UKPGE Election timetable generic (DOCX)
UKPE By election timetable generic (DOCX)
Notice of election - UK Parliamentary elections (DOCX)

Nominations

Emblem_UK-V2
Nomination checklist for UK Parliamentary elections (DOC)
Nomination papers - UK Parliamentary General Election (DOCX)
Notice of poll - UKPE (DOCX)
Quality Assurance Guidance for ROs (PDF)
Withdrawal form - must be printed off (DOC)

Agents

Counting agent appointment form (DOC)
Nomination papers - UK Parliamentary General Election (DOCX)
Polling agent appointment form (DOC)
Postal voting agent appointment form (DOC)
Secrecy requirements - postal voting (DOCX)
Secrecy requirements - the count
Secrecy requirements - the poll (DOCX)

  Absent voting

Forensic Science Service guidance on signature checking (PDF)
UKPGE Election timetable generic (DOCX)
UKPE By election timetable generic (DOCX)
Polling Station Handbook UKPGE 2024 (PDF)
Polling station handbook erratum insert: UK Parliamentary election (PDF)
Polling station quick guide - UK Parliamentary election 2024 (PDF)
Postal voting ballot paper account generic (DOCX)
Postal vote opening flowchart (DOC)
Postal vote matching spreadsheet (XLSX)
Secrecy requirements - postal voting (DOCX)

Polling station voting

Ask me for help stickers and posters
Bilingual BPRL template/Rhestr Wrthod Papur Pleidleisio templed - Dwyieithog (DOCX)
BPRL (Ballot paper refusal list) (DOCX)
Checklist for polling station inspectors (DOCX)
Declaration for the companion of a disabled voter UKPGE (DOCX)
Declaration for the companion of a disabled voter LGE COMBINED (DOCX)
Personation advice for Presiding Officers (PDF)
Personation advice for Presiding Officers Bilingual/ Cyngor i Swyddogion Llywyddu ar gambersonadu VID(PDF)
Polling Station Handbook UKPGE 2024 (PDF)
Polling station handbook erratum insert: UK Parliamentary election (PDF)
Polling station quick guide - UK Parliamentary election 2024 (PDF)
Secrecy requirements - the poll (DOCX)
Voter identification notes and VIDEF (DOCX)

Verification and count

Checklist of items the Presiding Officer should hand in at the verification venue (or collection point) (DOC)
Checklist when dealing with ballot box variances (DOC)
Doubtful ballot paper placemat (UK Parliamentary elections)
Doubtful ballot paper booklet (UK Parliamentary elections)
Example checklist of materials required at the verification and count (DOCX)
Observer access restrictions log (DOC)
Secrecy requirements - count (DOCX)
Template example scripts for UK Parliamentary count announcements (DOCX)
Template example scripts for UK Parliamentary count announcements - Wales (DOCX)
Template statement if not counting within 4 hours
Tips on managing the media at the count (DOC)

After the election

Access supply and inspection checklist (DOCX)
Close of poll packing instructions UKPGE (DOCX)
Polling Station Handbook UKPGE 2024 (PDF)
Polling station handbook erratum insert: UK Parliamentary election (PDF)
Polling station quick guide - UK Parliamentary election 2024 (PDF)
Postal voting ballot paper account (DOC)
Last updated: 12 November 2024