Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Greater London Authority (GLA) election

The following people are entitled by law to attend the verification and count:  

• you and your staff
• the GLRO
• candidates (and one other person chosen by each of them)
• election agents (or a sub-agent on their behalf
• counting agents
• Commission representatives
• accredited observers
• any other person permitted by you, as CRO, to attend1
  • you need to be satisfied that it will not impede the verification or efficient counting of votes and that you have either consulted the candidates at the Constituency Assembly member election or the election agents at the London-wide Assembly Member election, the election agents at the London Mayoral election or thought it impracticable to do so.2

Constituency Assembly Member candidates and their election agents (or a sub-agent instead of an election agent) have the right to be present at their constituency count.

London-wide Assembly Member and Mayoral candidates and their election agents (or a sub-agent instead of an election agent) have the right to attend all the count venues and the central count collation venue at City Hall.3   

You should take all necessary steps to ensure that anyone attending does not interfere with or compromise the secrecy of the vote. You are legally required to make such arrangements as you think fit to ensure that all attendees4 are provided with a copy of the secrecy requirements.5

You have a legal duty to give counting agents reasonable facilities for overseeing the verification and counting of the votes.6 You should also ensure that anyone who is entitled to attend has an unrestricted view of the proceedings, without being able to interfere with the work of your staff.

There is no requirement for those attending to arrive by a certain time. You should have processes in place so those entitled to attend can be admitted whenever they arrive. This process should also allow any attendee who wishes to leave and return later to do so.