Guidance for the GLRO administering the GLA elections

Review of election procedures

After the poll, you should carry out a thorough evaluation of all processes outlined in your project plan, seeking feedback from appropriate stakeholders, and produce a lessons learnt report which can be used to inform planning for future electoral events. 

Your evaluation process should involve seeking feedback from the relevant Returning Officers across Greater London and other appropriate stakeholders.

The Commission has provided, as part of the template project plan, some sample objectives and suggested tools that will allow you to measure the extent to which the conduct of the election has been successful. 

The review

The scope of the review should cover all aspects of the election. Your project plan should be used as the starting point for the review, and each process that was planned for and carried out should be reviewed.

A key part of the review will be the consideration of the aims and objectives set out in your project plan and measuring your performance against these.

You should pay particular attention to reviewing:

  • your project planning
  • whether you were able to secure adequate resources
  • the effectiveness of your management and co-ordination structure, including the monitoring of planning for and delivery of the election by the relevant Returning Officers across Greater London
  • the effectiveness of your communication strategies and methods 
  • the recruitment and training of staff 
  • engagement with parties, candidates and agents (as appropriate)
  • the management of the nomination process and publication of candidates’ addresses
  • the organisation and delivery of the result collation process 
  • the suitability of venues used 
  • the processing and handling of queries
  • any issues affecting the security/integrity of the election

As part of the review you should seek feedback from appropriate stakeholders, including:

  • staff
  • electors
  • candidates, agents and political parties
  • relevant Returning Officers from across Greater London and their staff
  • local organisations of disabled people, older people and minority ethnic groups, and the council’s access officers

Once you have reviewed all aspects of the election and sought feedback from appropriate stakeholders, you should produce a lessons learnt document. The lessons learnt document should include an analysis of what practices were successful, where these could be used elsewhere, what you would do again or do differently, and key recommendations. The lessons learnt report should then be used to inform your project plan and risk register for future electoral events. You should also provide feedback to relevant Returning Officers across Greater London as part of their review of the conduct of the election in their constituency. 

Last updated: 10 November 2023