You may appoint people as agents to attend the polling stations.1
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland will issue instructions to polling station staff to check the identity of polling agents against the list of names and addresses provided to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). The polling agent will be asked to produce one of the forms of photographic identification used by a voter. If this is not provided, or if the name and address given by the person does not match the list, the Presiding Officer will ask the person to leave the polling station.
What does a polling agent do?
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. Polling agents have a number of important roles to play on polling day. They can:
be present in the polling station before the opening of the poll to watch the Presiding Officer show the empty ballot box before it is sealed
detect personation and prevent people voting more than once in the election (other than as proxies). Personation is when an individual votes as someone else, whether that person is living, dead or fictitious
be present when the Presiding Officer marks a ballot paper at the request of an elector who needs assistance marking a ballot paper because of a disability or an inability to read or write
report to you or your election agent any improper activities
be present at the close of poll when the various packets of documents are sealed
attach their seal to any packets made up by the Presiding Officer at the close of poll, including the ballot box. Polling agents’ seals cannot be attached to ballot boxes at the start of, or during, the poll.
Polling agents must comply with all lawful instructions of the Presiding Officer and staff and with those set out in the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's Polling Agents Instructions. Copies of these instructions are available from the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's website and at each polling station.
You and your election agent can also do anything that a polling agent is entitled to do.2