Postal vote opener
Postal vote openers are employed in the days leading up to election day and are responsible for opening, checking and preparing completed postal votes for counting after the close of poll.
Votes for candidates are not counted as part of this process, so the greatest care must be taken by postal vote openers to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.
Teams of postal vote openers are employed on an hourly basis on days and times as decided by the Returning Officer. This will be confirmed during recruitment. The length of the sessions will vary depending on the number of postal votes received. A session could be cancelled at short notice.
The role of the postal vote opener is not difficult, but commitment and flexibility is required. You may be required to work under scrutiny and are responsible for:
- ensuring the secrecy of the ballot at all times
- counting envelopes received
- opening and check contents of envelopes
- tallying the number of ballot papers received
- refraining from engaging in conversations with candidates and agents
Apply
You must:
- attend a training session before election day
- sign an agreement to maintain the secrecy requirements
- be eligible to work in the UK (evidence is needed)
- not work on behalf of a candidate or political party, paid or otherwise
You will need your National Insurance number to apply.
This information is provided for guidance only and may be subject to change without notice.
Last updated 26 June 2024