The native elections might be held on Thursday, Might 4th this yr. Many individuals don’t realise that native elections are greater than an opportunity to solid your vote — they’re a possibility to become profitable.
While you vote in any election, you’ll virtually actually have observed the ballot clerks overseeing all the pieces.
Nevertheless, have you ever ever thought of making a bit of additional money as a ballot clerk your self? Are you able to make your self free for the entire day?
If that’s the case, you may earn round £250 for a day’s work in a polling station.
It’s a fast and simple money-making thought and preferrred if you’re retired or a pupil.
On this article, we clarify how you can change into a ballot clerk. Learn on to be taught how one can be part of political historical past — and receives a commission for it.
Who can change into a ballot clerk?
Anybody is eligible to behave as a ballot clerk, offering they’re over 18, literate and numerate and never a member of a political get together collaborating within the election.
The one different requirement is that candidates should be on the electoral roll – in case you’re not, you actually needs to be. Not being on the electoral roll can injury your credit standing!
Should you’re not on the electoral roll you may register to vote on the Authorities’s official web site. You may also discover your native Electoral Registration Workplace by clicking right here. Alternatively, give your native authority a name.
What’s concerned?
As a ballot clerk, you might be there to set-up the polling station and ensure right process is adopted all through the day, together with after voting closes.
Your duties embrace checking persons are eligible to vote, checking and marking electoral numbers, stamping and issuing poll papers, and, crucially, making sure that votes are solid in secret and put into the poll field.
You reply to the Presiding Officer, who’s the official in command of a polling station.
It’s a protracted day, normally from early morning (earlier than 7am) until a minimum of 10pm when the voting finishes.
You may also apply to assist rely the poll papers within the night, however remember that that is, as you may in all probability think about, fairly frantic work.
For extra data on the duties of a ballot clerk, and the necessities to change into one, issues are summarised properly by Croydon Council or you may take a look at the Handbook for Polling Station Employees right here.
How a lot can I make?
The quantity you earn varies from council to council so it relies on the place you apply.
You need to be getting a minimum of £100 for the day and councils who pay essentially the most will supply £250 or extra.
To learn the way a lot your native council pays, merely go to their web site and search ‘ballot clerk’. For a listing of native authorities in England and Wales, click on right here.
It’s additionally price taking into consideration that if in case you have labored at a polling station on a minimum of two different events, you may apply to change into a Presiding Officer, which suggests extra money!
Leeds Metropolis Council offers an excellent abstract of the duties of a Presiding Officer and what you have to must change into one.
How do I apply?
Normally, ballot clerks have labored for his or her native council, however this expertise shouldn’t be a prerequisite.
Most councils and native authorities have data on how you can change into a ballot clerk on their web site.
Both go to their web site and search ‘ballot clerk’, or just Google ‘change into a ballot clerk’ adopted by your city, metropolis, or council. For a listing of council web sites, click on right here.
Alternatively, you may name your native authority and ask for the Elections and Registration Workplace, or ship them an e mail telling them that you simply’re . They’ll ship you a type in the event that they want clerks.
Don’t depart it till every week earlier than an election to use as a result of the positions will in all probability already be crammed – it’s higher to use sooner reasonably than later.
Some native authorities recruit all yr spherical so you may hold making use of and be placed on a ready record for the following election.
If you’re chosen as a ballot clerk you’ll attend a coaching/briefing session after which be sworn within the day earlier than the election.
On Election Day, a Presiding Officer oversees the entire station and can supervise and instruct you.
Have you ever ever made cash as a polling clerk? Do you may have every other good cash making concepts? Tell us within the feedback part beneath – we love to listen to from you!