Guidance for Petition Officers

You will need to employ and train petition clerks and assistants, and provide written instructions on the procedures to follow on each signing day, including:

• sealing ballot boxes
• controlling admission to the signing place
• the signing procedure
• checking photographic ID 
• issuing ordinary and tendered signing sheets, and managing spoilt signing sheets
• asking the prescribed questions
• dealing with clerical errors
• completing the signing refusal list
• adjournment of the petition in case of riot

The only people who can attend the signing places are you (as Petition Officer), people wishing to sign the petition, children accompanying them, petition clerks, appointed assistants, police constables on duty and any representatives of the Electoral Commission.1  There is no provision for the MP or their representatives to attend.