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Deputy Returning Officer & Poll Clerk Guidebook–Advance Polling Days

Getting Ready

This section tells you how to get ready before voting days and when you arrive at the voting place.

Tips

  • Notes have been added throughout the book to provide further context to instructions. If you need, feel free to add your own, as well
  • Polling places may be hot or cold, be prepared for both

Get ready the night before

  1. Both: If you are unable to work, call the office
  2. DRO: Check:
  3. DRO: Count all your ballots

    Confirm the total matches the number of ballots and serial numbers on Record of Ballots EC 10002

  4. DRO: Inspect each ballot to make sure
    • it shows every candidate's name
    • it is not stained or badly printed

    If a ballot doesn't pass inspection

    • fold its corners
    • leave it in the booklet
    • don't use it when you serve electors, place it in Envelope: Spoiled Ballots EC 50430

    Note if a large number of ballots doesn't pass inspection, report it to the CPS

  5. Both: Review the following
    • EC 90189 Have Your ID Ready to Vote
    • This guidebook
  6. Both: Prepare any food, water and medication you will need
  7. Both: Have your signed Solemn Declaration EC 10130 with you when working at the polling place and keep with it you all the time
  8. Both: Do not wear political party colours or scented products at the polling place

How do I set up the polling station on Friday?

  1. Both: Arrive at the polling place at the time written at the front of this guidebook
  2. Both: Report to your CPS who will direct you to your table
  3. Both: If your table is not set up, set it up yourself

    Make sure there is enough space for people with reduced mobility

    Note candidates' representatives may arrive during set up. If they do, check their badge — Candidates’ representatives

  4. Both: Set up the voting screen and sharp pencils on a designated table behind you, away from windows and doors
  5. Both: Check the position of your tables with the CPS
  6. Both: Empty the green Advance Poll Bag EC 50480
  7. Both: From Closing Supplies Kit - Advance Poll EC 50475 – remove one of each of the following:
    • EC 50390 Office Documents Bag
    • EC 50430 Envelope: Spoiled Ballots
    • EC 50387 Envelope: Yellow copy of Record of Electors
  8. Both: Put Closing Supplies Kit - Advance Poll EC 50475 and Counting Supplies Kit - Advance Poll EC 50476 back inside green Advance Poll Bag EC 50480
  9. Both: Make a waiting line on the floor using Floor Marking Strip EC 50163, 1 metre away from the front of your table
  10. Both: Put VIC Collection Bag EC 50256 on floor between DRO and PC
  11. Both: Organize the supplies on your table — What should be on my desk to serve electors?

What should be on my desk to serve electors?

What should be on my desk to serve electors?
Text version of "What should be on my desk to serve electors?"

Tell the CPS if anything is missing.

Put all other supplies in Advance Poll Bag EC 50480 and put it under your table.

Get ready to serve electors

Get ready to serve electors: Friday

  1. Both: Write your name and "Deputy Returning Officer" or "Poll Clerk" on Election Personnel Identification Card EC 50210 and put it on.

    Wear it at all times

  2. Both: Fill out the cover page of Events Log EC 50060 and complete a Log of poll workers — Events Log (page 2-3)

    Note DRO steps 3-7 and PC steps 8-10 can be done at the same time

  3. DRO: Assemble Ballot Box EC 50250
    • check under flaps and show everyone at your table it is empty
    • write your polling station number, if not done already
    • seal top and bottom short edges of box with 4 Short Ballot Box Seals EC 50190
    • seal top and bottom long edges of box with 2 Long Ballot Box Seals EC 50200
  4. DRO: Copy numbers from long seals to Seal Control Sheet EC 50205 and put box on table in view of everyone present
  5. DRO: Put unused Short Ballot Box Seals, Long Ballot Box Seals inside green Advance Poll Bag EC 50480
  6. DRO: Put Seal Control Sheet EC 50205 on top of green Advance Poll Secure Bag EC 50485 for CPS to check later
  7. DRO: Complete a Log for balancing records and ballots — Events Log (page 4-5) EC 50060
    • Make sure the total matches the number of ballots on Record of Ballots EC 10002
  8. DRO: Write your initials and the APD number on the back of each ballot in one booklet without removing them

    Once you have used all the ballots in the first booklet, do the same for the next booklet

  9. Clerk: Write your electoral district name and polling station number on the envelopes and bag on the table
  10. Clerk: Fill out the top section of Record of Electors EC 50080 and the page number at the bottom of the page

    Note start with 1. Once first page is full, start a new one

  11. Fill out the top section of Sequence Number Sheet — Advance Polls EC 50109 and write page number 1 at the bottom of the page
  12. Clerk: Review Revised List of Electors and if not already labeled, identify the 4 sections of the Revised List
    • List of Electors
    • List of Entries
    • Last Page of the List
    • Poll Key

    Note if you have been given a Statement of Changes make the changes to the Revised List of Electors and return to this page to continue

  13. Both: Tell the CPS that you are ready to serve electors so that they can do their Spot Check 4
  14. Both: Place Seal Control Sheet EC 50205 inside Advance Poll Secure Bag EC 50485
  15. Both: Put Advance Poll Bag EC 50480 and Advance Poll Secure Bag EC 50485 inside Transport Bag EC 50253
  16. Both: Together, review the voting procedures to make sure you understand them — When an elector arrives
  17. Both: At the start of voting hours, serve electors — When an elector arrives

Update your list from the Statement of Changes

The List of Electors is printed before the first day of advance polls. If electors voted by special ballot, or if other changes were made since the list was printed, those changes appear on Statement of Changes.

The PC must update List of Electors with those changes before the polls open on the first day of advance voting.

  1. Clerk: Review Statement of Changes for any electors that have an S beside their name. The S means that a special ballot was issued to them
    • find the elector on List of Electors
    • write an "S" beside their name
    • draw a straight line through their name and address, and through the Voted box on List of Electors
    • if they come to your station to vote, the drawn line will remind you to follow the procedure for a person already crossed off the list — The elector is crossed off the List (Voting Status Certificate)

    Statement of changes, drawn line example
    Text version of "Statement of changes, drawn line example"

  2. Clerk: Review Statement of Changes for any electors that have a C-, T-, M-, or R beside their name. These letters mean that they were removed from List of Electors
    • find the elector on List of Electors
    • write "C-", "T-", "M-", or "R" beside their name
    • neatly scribble out their name and address and the Voted box on List of Electors
    • If they come to your station to vote, the scribbling will remind you to follow the procedure for someone who is not on the list — The elector is not on List (Registration Certificate)

    Statement of changes, scribbled line example
    Text version of "Statement of changes, scribbled line example"

  3. Clerk: Review Statement of Changes for any electors that have a C+, T+, M+, or A beside their name. These letters mean that they were added to List of Electors
    • add the elector's name to List of Electors where they would have appeared
    • write the "C+", "T+", "M+" or "A" beside their name
    • if they come to your station to vote, follow steps on A name is handwritten on the List of Electors

    Statement of changes, with hand written T+ example
    Text version of "Statement of changes, with hand written T+ example"

  4. Clerk: Review Statement of Changes for any electors with a C beside their name. This letter indicates that a correction was made to their personal information on List of Electors
    • find the elector on List of Electors
    • write a "C" beside their name on List of Electors
    • if they come to your station to vote, the information on their ID should match the information on Statement of Changes rather than those on List of Electors

    Statement of changes, with C hand written
    Text version of "Statement of changes, with C hand written"

  5. Clerk: Put Statement of Changes at the back of List of Electors and keep it there

Get ready to serve electors: Saturday, Sunday and Monday

  1. Both: Arrive at the polling place at the time written at the front of this guidebook. Bring all the materials you took home with you the previous night
  2. Both: Report to your CPS who will give you Transport Bag EC 50253 with your materials if you did not take them home the previous night
  3. Both: Make sure your supplies are still organized on your table as they were set up the day before

    Note see What should be on my desk to serve electors?

  4. Both: Put on Election Personnel Identification Card EC 50210

    Wear it at all times

  5. Both: Set up the voting screen and sharp pencils on a designated table
  6. Both: Unseal Advance Poll Secure Bag EC 50485 in view of everyone at your table. Take out:
    • Revised List of Electors
    • EC 50060 Events Log
    • EC 50420 Envelope: Stubs and Unused ballots
    • EC 10002 Record of Ballots
    • Plastic bag with counterfoils

    If either the DRO or the PC or both are new

    • complete a Log of poll workers — Events Log (page 2-3) EC 50060

    If the DRO did not keep Transport Bag EC 50253 last night

    • complete a Log of notable events — Events Log (page 8-11) EC 50060 to record that the DRO has received Transport Bag EC 50253 containing ballot box, unused ballots, List of Electors and poll materials from the CPS
    • have the CPS sign the entry
  7. Both: Open Envelope: Stubs and Unused ballots EC 50420.
    • take out all unused ballots
    • count them to make sure the total matches the number written on envelope and on Log for balancing records and ballots — Events Log (page 4-5) EC 50060
    • leave stubs from used booklets in Envelope: Stubs and Unused ballots EC 50420 and put the envelope in Advance Poll Secure Bag EC 50485
    • keep the unfinished booklet on the table to serve electors. Put the unused booklets and Record of Ballots EC 10002 back in Ballot Transport Bag EC 50215

    Note finish ballot booklet from yesterday before you initial a new booklet

  8. Both: Take out Ballot Box EC 5025
    • put it on table in view of everyone present
    • make sure it is still sealed
    • open the ballot entry slot to allow the ballots to go in smoothly
  9. Both: Put VIC Collection Bag EC 50256 on the floor between DRO and PC
  10. Clerk: Prepare a new Record of Electors EC 50080

    Note start again with page 1, entry 1

  11. Clerk: Write your electoral district name and polling station number on the envelopes and bag on the table
  12. Clerk: Fill out the top section of Sequence Number Sheet — Advance Polls EC 50109 and write page number 1 at the bottom of the page
  13. Clerk: Review Revised List of Electors and if not already labeled, identify the 4 sections of the Revised List
    • List of Electors
    • List of Entries
    • Last Page of the List
    • Poll Key
  14. Both: Complete Log for balancing records and ballots – Events Log (page 4-5) EC 50060 — Balancing Ballots
  15. Both: Tell the CPS that you are ready to serve electors so that they can do Spot Check 4
  16. Both: Together, review the voting procedures to make sure you understand them — When an elector arrives
  17. Both: At the start of voting hours, serve electors — When an elector arrives