What’s the quickest way to annoy an electoral administrator? Ask what they do for the
other 364 days a year.
Ah, electoral administrators in the UK. The unsung heroes who ensure that our
democracy runs smoothly. But do they really work more than one day a year? Let's find
out!
Firstly, for those who are unaware, electoral administrators are responsible for making
sure that elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner. They're the ones
who organise registration, polling stations, counts, and deal with any issues that arise
on election day.
Now, it's easy to assume that their job is just a one-day affair - after all, elections only
happen once every few years, right? Wrong! Electoral administrators are busy bees all
year round, preparing for the big day.
I have often said that an Electoral Services Manager could walk into any job due to the
varied hats they have to wear. These include project management, facilities management, accountancy, human resources, diplomat, designer and copy reader, just to name a few of their multiple skills.
But it's not all work and no play for in fact, their workload can be so heavy that they
often work weekends and unsociable hours. They deal with voter registration, postal
voting, and ensure that polling stations are accessible for everyone. And let's not forget
about the paperwork - there's a lot of it!
In the run-up to an election, they can often be found indulging in the classic British
tradition of tea and biscuits. When the stress gets too much, they'll occasionally break
out the fancy coffee and bags of Haribo.
The day of the election itself is when things get hectic. They're up at the crack of dawn
to organise polling stations, deal with last-minute issues, and make sure that everything
runs smoothly. And then there's the counting of the votes - a task that can take hours. In
most cases the count rolls over to the next day with results being declared early the next morning.
But it's not all serious business. There are occasional moments of levity during election
day, such as ‘interesting’ candidates such as Lord Buckethead or Elmo, or the obligatory photos of dogs waiting patiently outside a polling station waiting for their owner to vote and return.
In conclusion, yes, electoral administrators do work more than one day a year. They're a
hard-working bunch who deserve our thanks and appreciation for keeping our democracy running smoothly. And if you ever get the chance to vote, don't forget to remember the Electoral Administrators who have made it all happen - they've earned it!
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