Call for shake up in the election workers selection

Feb 17 2011 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON man this week demanded a review of how election night workers are selected.

Gordon Dall wants the system made “fairer”.

He was angered when he was told that 60 per cent of those who would be employed at the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary elections on May 5 are South Lanarkshire Council workers.

About 600 people are needed to work on the day of the elections in South Lanarkshire.

The jobs vary and include manning polling stations and counting votes.

However, Mr Dall was annoyed to learn that the majority of workers were council staff.

He explained: “I wanted to apply for a position but I was told it was too late and that the 600 people had already been selected.

“I asked, just out of curiosity, about pay and was told it could be up to £120 for the day.

“I was told that 60 per cent were council staff and 40 per cent were others. I was also told that the council workers would be given a day off in lieu for working it.”

He added: “There are so many people out of work, in long-term unemployment who would jump at the chance to earn this kind of money for one day.

“There are lots of students who would welcome to chance to put something like this onto their CV or the opportunity to do some networking.

“I understand that this has always been the ratio – more council employees than others, but perhaps in the current financial climate things could have been reviewed. This could have been an opportunity to give those out of work a chance to get some work.”

Mr Dall added: “I also understand the staff are being given a day off in lieu which begs the question, are the taxpayers paying for this twice? The council are having to make budget cuts all over, so surely this doesn’t add up?”

A spokesman for the council, who last week cut £25million from their 2011-2012 budget, said: “It is now the case that in most years, we have elections that need to be organised. In addition, elections are becoming ever more complex and it is no surprise that we hold a bank of experienced, trained individuals who are regularly employed at elections.

“We do have a reserve list but it contains several hundred people already. Many of those we employ oversee the arrangements in polling places and polling stations. Our experienced staff are crucial in allowing us to deliver successful elections.”

Hamilton South have on previous occasions been able to deliver their result in record time.

In May 2003, Returning Officer Michael Docherty, delivered the result – the first declared in Scotland – at the count at John Ogilvie High School, at 11.17pm.

However, on the introduction of electronic counting machines in May 2007’s Scottish Parliamentary Elections, the machines caused huge delays and led to votes going uncounted in the joint council and Holyrood elections.

This year's Holyrood vote will still be counted manually but the local elections in 2012 will again use electronic counting systems.