The Acting Returning Officer Date 9 May 2001Parliamentary Constituencies in England and Wales
The Returning Officer Local Government Areas in England and Wales
The Electoral Registration Officer District and London Boroughs in England and Wales
C General Election Briefing Information
D Guidance for Acting Returning Officers
E Security at Polling Stations and the Count
1. Now that a general election has been called for 7th June there are a number of outstanding issues which need to be addressed. This and subsequent RPA circulars will deal with them.
2. Attached at annex A is a timetable for the general election to be held on 7 June.
3. The Electoral Commission will take over, with immediate effect, the primary responsibility for providing advice and assistance on electoral matters for this election. In England, Wales and Scotland, electoral administrators, prospective parliamentary candidates, party officials, registered third parties and others involved in the conduct of the election should direct their enquires to the Electoral Commission telephone helpline – 020 7271 0600. This is a dedicated number set up specifically for this purpose and staffed by Electoral Commission policy staff. Out of office hours an answerphone will take messages. It would be helpful if electoral administrators could advise such enquirers to use this helpline if they are unable to help them themselves.
4. The Home Office will remain the contact point for enquiries relating to the introduction and progress of electoral legislation, and, for the moment, for those about the fees and charges payable to returning officers at parliamentary elections. All other queries should be directed to the Electoral Commission.
5. Members of the public making straightforward enquiries can telephone
the call-centre line. This is a line set up specially to allow members of
the public to order leaflets and application forms for rolling registration
and postal votes. The number has been (and will continue to be) publicised
widely. The call-centre staff can answer simple queries and members of the
public should be directed to that number unless electoral administrators
have the time to deal with the queries themselves. If the call centre cannot
deal with the query, they will seek advice from the Electoral Commission.
The call-centre number is 08456 062062.
6. Enquiries may not be necessary if the information is easily obtainable elsewhere. The Home Office elections website contains a good deal of useful information about elections and is in the process of being restructured to make it more easy to navigate around it. The website contains information useful to both the public and to electoral administrators and there are links to other related websites such as the Electoral Commission. Electoral administrators may find it helpful to consult the website before making enquiries elsewhere, or to direct others to the site for their information.
7. The Home Office elections website address is: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/new_indexs/index_elections.htm. The Electoral Commission’s website address is: http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/index.htm.
8. One of the documents on the Home Office elections website is a simple
guide to the general election and electoral practice which can be used to
answer questions which may arise during the election campaign. It is not
an exhaustively detailed document, but gives information which I hope will
be useful. Electoral administrators can direct enquirers to the document
for their information.
9. The Guidance for Acting Returning Officers has been revised to take
account of recent legislative and other changes and will be made available
before the end of the week on the Home Office elections website -
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/new_indexs/index_elections.htm.
Because it is a lengthy document it cannot be e-mailed and we do not intend
to make hard copies generally available. However, if there are any electoral
administrators or others who cannot access the website or download the document,
limited copies will be available. Contact Samantha Islam on 020 7273 3416
(e-mail Samantha.Islam@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)
if you cannot obtain access to the document and need a hard copy.
10. Acting returning officers are asked to re-read RPA circular 415, which
was issued on 25 April 1997 (and which is reproduced in appendix E of Parker's
Law and Conduct of Elections) which deals with possible disruption at polling
stations and at the count.
11. Acting returning officers are also strongly urged to make early contact
with their Chief Officer of Police (or an appropriate local contact) to
discuss security measures for polling stations and count venues. AROS are
also advised to obtain copies of the latest version of "Bombs: Protecting
People and Property" and "Notes for Guidance on Security of Polling
and Counting Stations". Both of these should be available from local
crime prevention officers.
12. The following Statutory Instruments (mentioned in RPA circular 444) have now been signed and have come (or will come) into force as follows:
The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1736) was made on 2nd May 2001 and will come into force on 15th May 2001.
The Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1700) was made on 3rd May 2001 and came into force on 4th May 2001.
The Elections Act 2001 (Supplemental Provisions) Order 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1630) was made on 10th April 2001 and came into force on 4th May 2001.
The Elections Act 2001 (Supplemental Provisions) (No 2) Order 2001 (SI 2001 No 1774) was made on 8th May 2001 and will come into force on 11th May 2001
13. All these instruments are (or shortly will be) available on the HMSO
website.
14. A number of electoral administrators have contacted us to point out that their e-mail addresses which were supplied for the purpose of swift communication have been published on our website without their permission. I am sorry if this has caused any problems for administrators. When we asked for these addresses it was not with the intention of publishing them more widely. But when rolling registration was introduced we were asked by electoral administrators to make our contact list available so that they could communicate with colleagues in other authorities. We were happy to do so, imagining that such addresses would be publicly available, like our own and all those of public servants carrying out public duties and therefore publicly accountable and contactable.
15. Clearly, some of the addresses supplied were not meant to be published more widely and I am sorry that we did not check to make sure that what appeared in our list was acceptable to those concerned. If the e-mail address (or any other detail) which appears in our contact list is not acceptable, please let Samantha Islam know so that it can be changed. Electoral administrators should be aware that any e-mail address supplied to us for communication purposes will be published in our contact list on the web. They must ensure therefore that any such address will be suitable for both purposes. Samantha’s number is 020 7273 3416, e-mail Samantha.Islam@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
16. It has been pointed out that some electoral administrators have refused to accept postal vote applications made on particular forms, or on no form at all. Electoral administrators are reminded that, as long as an application meets the requirements set out in regulation 51 of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001, they must accept it. An application can be made by letter, or on an official form supplied by the Home Office or by a local council, or a form supplied by a political party. If it contains all the information necessary to grant the application it cannot be refused.
17. Subject to what has been said at B (paragraphs 3 to 7) above, any enquiries about the contents of this circular should be made to elections section of Constitutional Unit at the Home Office.
Principal points for enquiries are:
Martin Ellis on 020 7944 8151,
Tony Chilton on 020 7944 8148,
John Collins on 020 7944 8149, or
Malcolm Rawlings on 020 7944 8150.
E-mail address configuration is Firstname.Secondname@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
If you send an e-mail, please include a telephone number for a return call.
Yours sincerely
Rick Evans
Head Of Unit
| Calendar date |
Day of Electoral timetable |
Stage of electoral timetable |
| Mon 14 May 2001 |
Day 0 |
Proclamation and issue of writ |
| Tue 15 May 2001 |
Day 1 |
Receipt of writ |
| Wed 16 May 2001 |
Day 2 |
|
| Thurs 17 May 2001 |
Day 3 |
Last day for publication of notice of election (4pm) |
| Fri 18 May 2001 |
Day 4 |
|
| Mon 21May 2001 |
Day 5 |
|
| Tue 22 May 2001 |
Day 6 |
Latest day for delivery of nomination papers/withdrawals of candidature/appointment of election agents (4pm) Statement of persons nominated published at close of time for making objections to nomination papers (5 pm on Day 6) or as soon afterwards as any objections are disposed of Last day for cancellation of absent vote applications (5pm) |
| Wed 23 May 2001 |
Day 7 |
|
| Thurs 24 May 2001 |
Day 8 |
|
| Fri 25 May 2001 |
Day 9 |
|
| Mon 28 May 2001 |
Bank holiday |
|
| Tue 29 May 2001 |
Day 10 |
|
| Wed 30 May 2001 |
Day 11 (6th working day before polling) |
Last day for receipt of absent voting applications (5pm) |
| Thurs 31 May 2001 |
Day 12 |
|
| Fri 1 June 2001 |
Day 13 |
First day to apply for replacement postal ballot papers |
| Mon 4 June 2001 |
Day 14 |
|
| Tue 5 June 2001 |
Day 15 |
Last day for appointment of polling and counting agents |
| Wed 6 June 2001 |
Day 16 |
Last day to apply for replacement postal ballot papers (5pm) |
| Thurs 7 June 2001 |
Day 17 |
Polling Day (7 am - 10 pm) |