Information on 3 September by elections

Two by-elections will be held in the Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar wards following the resignations of Councillors Simita Kumar and Kate Campbell.

Residents will go to the polls on Thursday 3 September to elect one new councillor in each ward. The current electorate is 24,304 for Southside/Newington and 27,347 for Portobello/Craigmillar. 

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.

The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.

The deadline to register to vote in these by-elections is 18 August. For new postal vote applications, it’s 19 August and for new proxy votes it’s 26 August.

As polling staff you are responsible for ensuring the voting process is conducted in accordance with electoral law and guidance. 

Each member of the polling team plays a critical role in delivering a secure, accessible and efficient voting experience.

No matter what time or place voters turn up at they must have the same voter experience.

Duties include setting up the polling place / station, helping voters understand what they need to, including directing voters to the correct polling station, managing the voter register, verifying and issuing ballot papers, maintaining the secrecy of the ballot, and ensuring that all procedures are followed consistently throughout the day

Meet the polling staffing team

The polling staffing team manage the people and processes that keep elections running smoothly. From staffing coordination to on-site support, our focus is reliability, efficiency, and integrity.

If you have any questions about your appointment or the conditions of your employment, or if you need to advise us of a change of circumstances, please call the Elections Team at the earliest opportunity.  It is vital that you let the team know immediately if you are no longer able to work on the day of poll so that arrangements can be made for someone to work in your place.

Contact us on : [email protected]

Lesley
Lesley Sime
Southside / Newington
07874893374
Suzanne
Suzanne McGregor
Portobello / Craigmillar
07710207187
Julie
Julie Wright
Polling staff trainer

Polling station roles

The role of polling station staff is to ensure that voters are able to cast their vote independently, in secret and free from influence and in a calm atmosphere.

Click on the various job roles below to find out more about each role and what they are responsible for

POLLING ASSISTANT
PRESIDING OFFICER
SENIOR PRESIDING OFFICER
DAY OF POLLING INSPECTOR
TRAINING

Frequently Asked Questions about polling

Find answers to some common questions about polling day below.

You will find more detailed information in our polling staff handbook which is found in the polling staff training section click on the training tab above

Breaks / food and drink

Yes you will get breaks throughout the day. Your Presiding Officer will decide on when you can take a break these are usually when there are quiet periods. Typically busy periods are before voters leave for work, or after they finish work. School drop off or pick up times can also be busy times. 

Yes they can but hopefully a quiet period will follow and you will be able to have a break then

Available facilities vary per venue. For the most up to date information regarding your polling place please contact the Elections Administrator for your area

Yes we would ask you only drink water at the polling table, the documents that you are in front of you are extremely important and they cannot have spills or marks on them. 

No, you will not be able to leave the polling place while the poll is open. You should ensure that you take sufficient food and drink to last the whole of polling day.

You can have hot food or have food delivered but be aware you may not be able to eat the food at the time it is delivered if you have a queue of voters. 

Dress code / smoking and vaping

The atmosphere in the polling station should be friendly but business like, and you should dress accordingly. Polling places vary considerably, they may be warm or cold and draughty – consider wearing layers of clothing, taking a cushion, a blanket or hot water bottle.

No,  polling station staff are representatives of the Returning Officer and must act impartially at all times. Any badges, slogans or colours that might bring the impartiality of the polling station staff into question must not be worn.  

Smoking and vaping are not permitted inside the polling place. 

Staff should only take a smoking / vaping break if agreed by the Presiding Officer.

These must be short and infrequent and you must stay within the curtilage of the polling place.