Combined Guidance for Returning Officers at Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in England

As part of your planning, you will have decided whether the production of postal voting stationery and the issuing of postal votes will be carried out in-house or outsourced. 

Further guidance to support your decision-making on outsourcing can be found in our guidance on managing contractors and suppliers.

Contents of postal ballot pack

You must send a postal ballot pack to all eligible postal voters.1 Postal ballot packs must include:2

• an outgoing envelope 
• return envelopes: envelope ‘A’ (the ballot paper envelope) and envelope ‘B’ (the covering envelope for the return of envelope ‘A’ and the postal voting statement)
• a ballot paper 
• a postal voting statement 

In addition you must issue instructional information ensuring that those entitled to vote by post are able to obtain:3

• translations into other languages of any directions to or guidance for voters sent with the ballot paper
• a translation into Braille of such directions or guidance
• a graphical representation of such directions or guidance
• the directions or guidance in any other form (including any audible form)

Combined postal ballot packs

The number and type of ballot papers contained in each postal ballot pack will depend on whether or not you have decided to combine the issue of postal votes.

Where there are combined polls, the issue of postal votes may be combined if the relevant Returning Officers/Counting Officers agree. You should liaise with the PARO and make an assessment of the benefits and risks of a combined issue. You should ensure that the decision is reflected in your plans.

As part of the decision-making process, you should make an assessment of the benefits and risks of a combined issue including:

• the impact on the voter
• previous practice
• types of electoral events
• extent of combination
• likely size of the ballot papers
• supplier capability
• IT requirements
• staffing requirements
• venue requirements

Where the poll at an election or referendum is combined with the poll at a combined authority mayoral election, you should liaise with the CARO and make an assessment of the benefits and risks of a combined issue. 

Whichever decision is taken, you will need to consider the impact of combination on the resources required for the issue and distribution of postal votes, and the workflows to be followed.