Preparing for and Conducting Election Day: John Bennett Greater London Returning Officer Systems and Logistics

Conducting elections Planning Preparation Public awareness and voter education Absent voting Poll Count Review

Role of technology Consider – What we use What is possible What we aspire to in the near future

Law Commission: 11 th Programme of Law Reform Election rules Different sets of rules for each type of election Inconsistencies or duplications Election offences Criminal law or public law Criminal court, judicial review or statutory appeal Amending legislation Primary or secondary Synchronising with the devolved institutions Technology Legislation pre-dates technological advances

Technology – getting ready Planning Scheduling Dependencies Prompts Reports to SRO Public awareness and voter education Print and broadcast media Going digital – push / pull Website, Youtube Facebook, Twitter, texting

GLA elections the communications campaign 4 main strands  Advertising  Mayoral address booklet  PR and media liaison  Website / digital

Advertising campaign

Pilot activity “Traditional” Street teams Polish, Chinese and African communities Electoral Commission targeted students ‘Mark’. Mobile phones Text message platform Polling station finder service

Results 2.6 million page views of website Registration increased 151,000 Turnout increased 500,000 (+25%) Spoiled ballots reduced c.50% Awareness of campaign very high in post- election research (c.55%)

Technology – delivering the project Preparation RegistrationVoter lists / poll cards NominationsBallot paper design StaffingBallot paper allocations Absent voting Voter listsRecording returns Checking PVSs Poll Voter listsCommunication

Electoral challenges Biggest single electoral event in UK 5.8m electors Most diverse electorate in the world languages spoken Some communities relatively isolated Lowest voter registration in UK Low turnout (up from 37% in 2004 to 45% in 2008)) 3 different voting systems (3 papers, 4 votes) 3,800 polling stations, 12,000 staff 650,000 postal votes

Technology – making it count Manual counting of ballot papers Checking BPAs Verification Calculation of results Publishing results Electronic counting of ballot papers Full service Speed with accuracy Detailed data

Technology – when it’s over Review Validation of results (if needed) Library of raw data Analysis for forward planning

A wish-list for the future Online registration Adding to or amending the voter list Applying for absent or proxy vote Remote electronic voting Part of multi-channel voting programme Vote anywhere Real-time validation of voter ID Avoidance of rejected ballot papers

What we would need for REV Security Better protection for online systems (hacking, DoSA) Secure storage of personal data Confidence User assurance Public acceptance Enablement Legislation Funding

Review Are we using technology securely? Are we using technology effectively? Are we using technology as much as we could? How far and how fast should we extend the use of technology?

Questions? John Bennett Greater London Returning Officer Greater London Authority