Briefing for campaigners At the briefing for local campaigners, Counting Officers are encouraged to have copies of the Commission’s guidance for campaigners documents available Arrangements for the Wales referendum on Assembly powers Insert date

To provide an overview of:- Roles at the referendum Referendum campaigning Referendum processes After the poll Campaigners’ expenses The Aim Use this slide to introduce the aims of your session and the type of information that you will provide to attendees. With referendums occurring infrequently, the processes are not familiar to campaigners in the same way as they are for candidates and agents at a local or national election. Some aspects of the campaign process and poll are similar to those at an election but others specific to referendums. Session will provide you with the local info you need and an opportunity for questions at the end of the session.

Who does what? The role of the Counting Officer The Chief Counting Officer Electoral Commission The Counting Officer Local voting area Contact details for the Counting Officer and his staff - Phone: - Email: Use this slide to explain the roles of the Chief Counting Officer (Electoral Commission) and Counting Officer (local counting area) The Chair of the Electoral Commission, Jenny Watson is the Chief Counting Officer with overall responsibility for the election. The Electoral Commission have been working with elections staff in Wales to plan and deliver the referendum The Chief Counting Officer has appointed a Counting Officer for each local authority area to run the poll in that area X is the Counting Officer in Y local authority area. Provide contact details for Counting Officer and Electoral Services. Contact details for the Commission will be provided at the end of this briefing.

Who does what? The role of agents Referendum agent Postal voting agents Polling agents Count agents The process for appointing agents Deadlines for appointment Use this slide to explain the different agents who may be appointed by a registered campaigner and how they are appointed/numbers that may be appointed/deadlines for appointment A registered campaigner can appoint a referendum agent for a local authority area to assist them with campaigning and to oversee the referendum In turn the referendum agent can appoint agents to oversee referendum proceedings in the local counting area In a similar way to a local government or national election the following agents can be appointed: Postal voting agents – to attend and scrutinise postal vote opening sessions Polling agents – to attend polling stations on polling day Count agents – to attend the count Written request for appointment to be made to Counting Officer – forms available from the CO or Commission website for this process Reminder of deadlines for appointment Cross refer to Commission campaigners guidance – The role of agents and tellers at a referendum

Who can vote? What information will the Counting Officer send to electors Local government franchise Deadline to register to vote Midnight on xx/xx Poll cards Use this slide to explain the franchise for the election, deadline for registration and dispatch of poll cards. The poll will be open to all those electors registered to vote at a local government election Eligible people have been registered during the annual canvass and other registration initiatives carried out by staff locally. The deadline for people to register is midnight on xxxxx The Counting Officer will send a poll card to each eligible elector to tell them that the referendum is happening. Those electors who have applied to vote by post at elections will be told approximately when their ballot paper will arrive. The others will be told the date and time of the election and where they have to go to vote. Explain timescales for PV dispatch arrangements

The campaign (1): Available resources Supply of electoral register and absent voters lists Restricted use of schools and rooms for public meetings Postal voting and the code of conduct on handling postal votes Use this slide to explain local facilities available to registered campaigners – registers, absent voters lists, availability of rooms etc Explain how registered campaigners can apply to the ERO to obtain a copy of the electoral register and absent voters lists and restrictions on use – request forms available from Counting Officer All campaign workers need to abide by rules on use of the register. Mention also the postal voting code of conduct Use of schools and public meetings rooms – Explain that they can be used by the two designated campaigners but not by each individual permitted participant. Cross refer to Commission campaigners guidance – Campaign publicity and resources

The campaign (2) Campaign material Imprints Restrictions and offences Reporting alleged offences during the campaign Use this slide to elaborate briefly on the specifics of campaign material – requirement for imprint and also offences in connection with the campaign. All printed campaign material must carry an imprint in order to comply with legislation Campaigners should also be aware of the general restrictions in criminal law when producing material. Eg - It is an offence to publish or distribute threatening, abusive or insulting material that is intended to stir up racial hatred. Offences and integrity issues are covered in detail in the Commission’s document – Maintaining the integrity of the referendum Neither the Chief Counting Officer nor Counting Officer has any discretion to investigate allegations of offences. Complainant should report to the police if they are willing to substantiate allegation through a written statement. Cross refer to various Commission campaigners guidance documents – 1) Campaign publicity and resources 2) Maintaining the integrity of the referendum and 3) whichever the document is which covers imprints

Postal voting arrangements Polling day Referendum processes Postal voting arrangements Polling day Polling agents Tellers The count Location xx Time xx Declaration of the result Use this slide to provide detail about absent voting arrangements (particularly opening sessions which agents may attend), polling day and the count Explain the arrangements for agents attending the postal vote openings. Briefly explain postal voting system. Also, mention the postal voting code of conduct. Run through any relevant info for polling agents attending polling stations A list of polling places may be of use for the briefing Outline the procedure that the (A)RO has in place to manage polling day and how the polling places will be monitored throughout the day Refer to Commission guidance for tellers and any local arrangements in place Arrangements for the count(s) – where, what time it will begin, accreditation arrangements, number of guests, facilities at count venue etc Once all local counts are completed, results will be fed to the Chief Counting Officer at the Electoral Commission who will announce the result. Further details on count later

After the poll Inspection and supply of marked register and absent voters lists Data copy: £10 plus £1 per 1,000 entries or any part thereof. Printed copy: £10 plus £2 per 1,000 copies or part thereof Campaign spending returns Use this slide to cover post-referendum issues – supply of marked register and also spending returns. Detail on spending returns (spending limits, where returns are to be sent, deadline for returns, where to obtain returns forms etc) to be added in due course to these slides using info from PEF guidance documents. Might warrant a couple of slides depending on how much info there is. Cross refer in these notes to relevant Commission documents that Campaigners should consult.

Electoral Commission contact details: Tel: 029 2034 6800 Email: infowales@electoralcommission.org.uk Use this slide to refer campaigners with more detailed expenses queries [and anything else??] to the Commission. 10

Questions?