Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

As Returning Officer (RO) you play a central role in the democratic process. Your role is to ensure that the election is administered effectively and that, as a result, the experience of voters and those standing for election is a positive one. You must also consider the accessibility for voters at polling stations. Our guidance on assistance with voting for disabled people provides further information. 

To achieve this, you will need to have in place an effective mechanism for liaising with any appointed deputies in the constituency. 

As RO, you are personally responsible for the conduct of the Senedd election, including:

• publication of the notice of election1  
• administration of the nomination process2  
• encouraging participation
• publication of the statement of persons nominated and the notice of poll3
• provision and equipment of polling stations4  
• appointment of polling station staff5  
• conduct of the poll6  
• management of the postal vote process7  
• verification and counting of the votes8  
• calculation and declaration of the result9

Your duties as RO are separate from your duties as a local government officer. As RO you are not responsible to the local authority but are directly accountable to the courts as an independent statutory office holder.

While you can appoint one or more persons to discharge any or all of your functions as RO, you cannot delegate your personal responsibility for delivering your duties at the elections. Our guidance on the appointment of deputy Returning Officers provides more information

Deputy Returning Officers

Where a constituency includes more than one local authority, the RO designated by Welsh ministers for that constituency may appoint the other local government RO’s or individuals from the other local authorities in their constituency as deputies and will work closely with them on operational issues. 

In the case of a constituency that covers more than one local authority, you may want to use the support and local knowledge of officers in the other local authorities in the constituency to help you deliver the election such as:

• identifying polling stations
• appointment of polling station staff
• conduct of the poll
• issue and receipt of postal votes

The RO may wish to agree and formalise delegation of roles and responsibilities by appointing any LROs or officers from any other local authorities in the constituency to act as Deputy Returning Officers with specific powers. 

For more information see our guidance on the appointment of Deputy Returning Officers.

Electoral Management Board for Wales

The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) has established The Electoral Management Board for Wales (EMB) which seeks to ensure that the interests of the voter are kept at the centre of all elections planning and administration.

The EMB undertakes this by assisting ROs and EROs in relation to devolved Welsh elections through the promotion of best practice by providing information, advice or training. 

The EMB is responsible for the co-ordination of electoral administration for Senedd elections and has the power to issue directions to ROs and to EROs in respect of Senedd elections.10 The EMB directions will be issued following consultation with the Electoral Commission.

The directions or recommendations issued by the EMB are available on their website and their aim is to achieve consistency in delivery of Senedd elections across Wales.

ROs and EROs must follow any directions issued by the EMB.

The EMB is also responsible for hosting and operating the Welsh elections information platform to which election addresses can be submitted.

The Welsh elections information platform

The elections information platform will provide accessible, timely and impartial information to electors to help them make informed choices at elections. It will be searchable by postcode and electoral area and will provide voters with specific information for their constituency.

The platform will include:

• official notices published by ROs
• polling station and accessibility information
• election addresses

An election address is a campaign statement that a candidate makes to the electorate to persuade electors to vote for them. The election address will be an online version of one of the freepost communications that may be sent via Royal Mail.

An election address may be submitted to the EMB for inclusion on the platform.

For more information see the EMB website.