Polling clerks

I’m writing this before the great result is known but many Hinterland readers will have gone through this type of experience. My first mentor in Local Government Bill Hunter (who worked at Retford Rural and then Bassetlaw until 1989)– now sadly passed on to the great polling booth in the sky saved every penny from over 30 years election duty for his retirement. He advised me to do the same – sadly I lacked his self-discipline. Nonetheless the article brought a teary smile to my face remembering him. In just one remembrance of that wonderful notion of public service this article tells us:

They are the people you don’t notice on voting day, the people you hand your polling card to as you collect your vote. They are the poll clerks.

I’ve worked at my local polling station on and off since I was at university. As a poor student, the idea of getting paid for sitting down and talking to people I knew all day sounded rather appealing. The station itself is my old primary school and it’s always interesting to take a trip down memory lane and see the horrendous photo of nine-year-old me lining the corridors.

The day starts well before polling stations open at 7am. I’m usually expected to arrive at 6.15am, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, to put up the signs to direct voters as they arrive. We receive training for the day as well.

The first voters arrive early – always the same people. They don’t work locally and this is their only opportunity to cast their vote. Generally, they are in and out of the polling station within a minute.

The job itself is straightforward. People’s polling card indicates which section of the station they vote in and everyone takes a turn to direct incoming voters. I love this as it gives me an opportunity to talk to people I went to school with or the parents of old friends who have moved away.

It’s strange to be disconnected from technology for such a large part of the day

Most of my day is spent sitting at one of the boxes with the presiding officer. In Northern Ireland, the identity of each voter must be checked before they are issued a ballot paper. This can cause problems. Without fail, in each election there will be a handful of people who come to the polling station without valid ID. Some people to get irate about not being able to vote. It can lead to raised voices and threats, but the presiding officer always handles the situation calmly.