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 document which will be used to inform the project plan and risk register for future electoral events.
The scope of the review should cover all aspects of the election, 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
if your constituency crosses a local authority boundary, what worked well and what could be improved when working with elections staff from the other local authority/authorities
if you are not also the ERO for some or all of your constituency, what worked well and what could be improved when working with them
how contractors have been managed and whether they delivered work to the required specification
the equipment and stationery used
the equipment provided to support disabled voters
the recruitment and training of staff
the suitability of venues used
the management of nominations, polling stations, the absent voting process, and the verification and counts
the processing and handling of queries
your public engagement activity
any issues affecting the security/integrity of the election
your interactions with candidates and agents
As part of the review you should seek feedback from appropriate stakeholders.
You should seek feedback from the following:
your staff and, if your constituency or voting area crosses a local authority boundary, elections staff from the other local authority/authorities
if you are not also the ERO, the ERO
electors
candidates, agents and political parties
local organisations of disabled people, older people and minority ethnic groups, and the council’s access officers
You should consider inviting a number of members of staff, including polling station staff, to a discussion in order to address all aspects of the polling station process, from training and briefing sessions through to dealing with difficult situations on polling day. You could also take into account any feedback provided in reports returned by Presiding Officers and polling station inspectors.
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 and 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 the project plan and risk register for future electoral events.