Poll Clerk for Elections

caledonia1972

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OK so it's not really online earning, but does definitely fall into the ad-hoc/freelance category!

With the general election set for next June it's really worth thinking about applying for a day's work as a poll clerk. Look on your Council's website for the department dealing with Polling, or Elections and Voting and contact them to ask how to apply. You do not need any particular qualifications, the only criteria for working an election is that you have to be over 18 and eligible to vote in UK elections (so double check if you're a non-EU foreign national as you might not be able to).

I did this once for the Scottish parliament elections and it paid about £170 for the day, and we had to attend one 90 minute training the week before to go through the roles (you don't get paid extra for training). The hourly rate worked out at about £9.75. The work is VERY easy as all you are doing is ticking names off a list and explaining the voting procedure. It's a long day though as you have to be at the polling place by 6.15am and cannot leave until the ballot boxes have been picked up by courier which is generally around 10.30pm. Also you will be working in a team with another person, each station has a poll clerk and the poll officer (only difference is the polling officer signs off the paper work and earns a wee bit more) and if you're stuck with someone you have little in common with it can be a very long day. You are allowed to take a puzzle book, knitting or a novel though!

Definitely worth considering applying for it.
 

Jon

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Fantastic post!

I know RedAlix does the election work and I am part of the IT support around Elections in Leeds so work a LOT of hours and through the night and more during it all

It does pay very well and you employer should be able to grant you special leave I think (or at least they do within the Council if you do it)

The 'gravy' train if you will you want to get involved in is postal vote work

They typically (or at least in Leeds) work 2 weeks prior as that is when the postal votes start coming in and begin getting counted..

Pays a LOT more than just doing the main day/night on the Thursday
 

caledonia1972

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I don't think employers give time off unless you work in the Council. But if you are the sort of person who never uses all of your holidays then is it worth taking a day's leave, and earning £170 doing something different?

I did ask about working at the count but in my area they use Council and bank staff rather than the civilians. Plus you don't start until 10pm, and could be there until 8am the next morning. For me, with three kids to look after, that just doesn't work. Polling stations are more local too, they try to place you as close to home as possible. My local polling station is just across the road so I wasn't travelling - the place they do the count in this area is at least 40 minutes drive away which makes the day a bit longer. I don't think postal voting count work is open to the public here either.

If you get "in" with the Council though, this could be something they ask you to do for all the local, general and European elections.
 

Jon

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Aye, once you are 'in' its not just the election stuff

i have also done electoral canvassing which is where you knock on doors and check 'so and so' live here as according to the electoral register they do etc..

pays quite well, hard work, but money well earned. Good couple of hundred quid
 

RedAlix

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Yes I do the counting, its good fun (If you are sat with a nice bunch lol) It works really well for me with it usually being over night because it means my husband is home to look after the kids whilst I'm out working, its all good as long as I get back before he leaves for work in the morning.

I have put my name down for posting out the vote cards as they are hand delivered in our area. I think a lot of the council workers do this job as its quite well paid.

Luckily all this work has worked around my part time job. If it hadn't then I would have taken holiday as its too good to miss out on.
 
Q

queen81

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RedAlix said:
Yes I do the counting, its good fun (If you are sat with a nice bunch lol) It works really well for me with it usually being over night because it means my husband is home to look after the kids whilst I'm out working, its all good as long as I get back before he leaves for work in the morning.

I have put my name down for posting out the vote cards as they are hand delivered in our area. I think a lot of the council workers do this job as its quite well paid.

Luckily all this work has worked around my part time job. If it hadn't then I would have taken holiday as its too good to miss out on.

Tell me more about how you go about getting the job of handing out the vote cards
 

RedAlix

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queen81 said:
Tell me more about how you go about getting the job of handing out the vote cards

Luckily I have a friend who works for the council, she put me forward when she heard they need more counters. The last few times we have counted my sister and I have asked about the delivering of the cards. They didn't have any jobs going at the time but said when they do they will consider us. :)
 

Jon

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queen81 said:
RedAlix said:
Yes I do the counting, its good fun (If you are sat with a nice bunch lol) It works really well for me with it usually being over night because it means my husband is home to look after the kids whilst I'm out working, its all good as long as I get back before he leaves for work in the morning.

I have put my name down for posting out the vote cards as they are hand delivered in our area. I think a lot of the council workers do this job as its quite well paid.

Luckily all this work has worked around my part time job. If it hadn't then I would have taken holiday as its too good to miss out on.

Tell me more about how you go about getting the job of handing out the vote cards

You just need to keep an eye on your local council's website, the opportunities go up on there

as a sample - This is what is paid to people who work on the elections

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/Staff%20Fees.pdf
 

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