Teller (elections): Difference between revisions

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A teller is a person who counts votes in an election, vote, referendum or poll. Tellers are also known as scrutineers, poll-watchers, challengers or checkers.

They should be distinguished from polling agents and counting agents who officially represent candidates.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, tellers work on behalf of political parties (usually as volunteers). They stand or sit outside the polling station and collect electoral registration numbers (poll numbers) of voters as they enter or leave. They play no official part in the election and voters are under no obligation to speak with them. They are not polling agents, so they have no official rights, such as to enter the polling station. If asked, the tellers must explain they are not officials and why they are collecting poll numbers.^[1]

Tellers help their parties identify supporters who have not yet voted, so that they can be contacted and encouraged to vote, and offered assistance—such as transport to the polling station—if necessary. In as far as this increases turn-out, it may be said to be "good" for the democratic process, since a higher voter turnout is generally a stated objective.

Police officers may intervene if tellers "irritate voters, exert undue influence or obstruct the polling station." ^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Sometimes, some or all of the main parties might reach an agreement to take shifts, and pass on their lists to the other parties; however it is commonplace to see several tellers outside a polling station.

After the May 2005 Northern Ireland elections, the Electoral Commission concluded that some candidates' polling agents unlawfully assisted with identifying supporters who had not yet voted, by passing information from inside the polling place to other party workers. This information is not normally available to parties unless voters give it voluntarily to tellers.^[7]

Other assemblies

In other deliberative assemblies, such as voluntary associations, elections and other matters of importance are frequently voted on by ballot. Tellers are appointed to count those ballots. Normally, the chairman appoints the tellers unless the organization's rules provide that tellers are appointed another way, such as appointment of an elections committee. The tellers are chosen for their accuracy and dependability, are not directly involved on what is being voted in, and usually are allowed to vote themselves.^[8]

References

^ "Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places" (PDF). The Electoral Commission. 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
^ "Electoral alert 30 - Review of guidance for tellers at polling stations (Issues paper)" (PDF). Electoral Commission (United Kingdom). 2005-10-07. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 2.2 Tellers traditionally attend polling stations to monitor and assess levels of local party support. They sit outside polling stations or inside if there is a convenient space separate from the polling area. They usually ask voters for their polling number when they leave the polling station. The purpose is to identify local supporters who have not yet voted, so that other party activists can urge them to vote before the polls close. However, the activities of tellers have in the past been a source of conflict.
^ Electoral Commission (United Kingdom), Association of Chief Police Officers (2006). "Pocket Guide: Guidance to police officers, Local elections May 2006" (PDF). Centrex. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. Where tellers, or others, irritate voters, exert undue influence or obstruct the polling station, the Presiding Officer may seek assistance from the police to resolve the matter.
^ "Appendix E: Tellers guide: Guidance for (Acting) Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, political parties, candidates and agents: local government elections in England on 4 May 2006" (PDF). Electoral Commission (United Kingdom). 2006-01-27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
^ "Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 2007-02-26. col. 706. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. When I first became involved in politics, there was a clear unwritten convention that on polling day one did not take a loudspeaker anywhere near a polling station. One did not hand out literature at the entrances to polling stations. All that tellers did was take numbers.
^ "Becoming a councillor FAQ: What is the role of the tellers?". Walsall Council. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
^ "May 2005 Combined Elections Report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. 2005-12-15. pp. 91–93. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 6.70 Despite being made aware of secrecy requirements, some polling agents transmitted information from the marked register to party workers outside the polling place.
^ Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.

External links

Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places, Electoral Commission UK, (PDF, 4 pages.)
New Zealand Guidelines
Canadian guidelines
Becoming a councillor FAQ: What is the role of the tellers? – Walsall Council, UK

[1] "Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places" (PDF). The Electoral Commission. 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2017.

[2] "Electoral alert 30 - Review of guidance for tellers at polling stations (Issues paper)" (PDF). Electoral Commission (United Kingdom). 2005-10-07. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 2.2 Tellers traditionally attend polling stations to monitor and assess levels of local party support. They sit outside polling stations or inside if there is a convenient space separate from the polling area. They usually ask voters for their polling number when they leave the polling station. The purpose is to identify local supporters who have not yet voted, so that other party activists can urge them to vote before the polls close. However, the activities of tellers have in the past been a source of conflict.

[3] Electoral Commission (United Kingdom), Association of Chief Police Officers (2006). "Pocket Guide: Guidance to police officers, Local elections May 2006" (PDF). Centrex. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. Where tellers, or others, irritate voters, exert undue influence or obstruct the polling station, the Presiding Officer may seek assistance from the police to resolve the matter.

[4] "Appendix E: Tellers guide: Guidance for (Acting) Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, political parties, candidates and agents: local government elections in England on 4 May 2006" (PDF). Electoral Commission (United Kingdom). 2006-01-27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23.

[5] "Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 2007-02-26. col. 706. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. When I first became involved in politics, there was a clear unwritten convention that on polling day one did not take a loudspeaker anywhere near a polling station. One did not hand out literature at the entrances to polling stations. All that tellers did was take numbers.

[6] "Becoming a councillor FAQ: What is the role of the tellers?". Walsall Council. Retrieved 2008-05-23.

[7] "May 2005 Combined Elections Report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. 2005-12-15. pp. 91–93. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 6.70 Despite being made aware of secrecy requirements, some polling agents transmitted information from the marked register to party workers outside the polling place.

[8] Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Not to be confused|Tellers (Parliament of the United Kingdom)}}
+{{Short description|Person who counts the votes in an election, vote, referendum or poll}}
 [[Image:PollingStation UK 2005.jpg|thumb|In the United Kingdom, unofficial tellers sit outside [[polling station]]s to identify voters]]
-A '''teller''' is a person who counts the votes in an election, vote or poll. Tellers are also known as scrutineers, poll-watchers, challengers or checkers.
+A '''teller''' is a person who counts votes in an election, vote, referendum or poll. Tellers are also known as scrutineers, poll-watchers, challengers or checkers.
+They should be distinguished from [[polling agent]]s and [[counting agent]]s who officially represent candidates.
 ==United Kingdom==
+{{Not to be confused|Tellers (Parliament of the United Kingdom)}}
+In the [[United Kingdom]], tellers work on behalf of [[political parties]] (usually as volunteers). They stand or sit outside the [[polling station]] and collect electoral registration numbers (poll numbers) of voters as they enter or leave. They play no official part in the election and voters are under no obligation to speak with them. They are not [[polling agent]]s, so they have no official rights, such as to enter the polling station. If asked, the tellers must explain they are not officials and why they are collecting poll numbers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places|url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/198718/EU-Ref-Tellers-guidance.pdf|website=The Electoral Commission|accessdate=8 June 2017|date=2016}}</ref>
+Tellers help their parties identify supporters who have not yet voted, so that they can be contacted and encouraged to vote, and offered assistance—such as transport to the polling station—if necessary. In as far as this increases turn-out, it may be  said to be "good" for the democratic process, since a higher [[voter turnout]] is generally a stated objective.
+Police officers may intervene if tellers "irritate voters, exert [[undue influence]] or obstruct the polling station."
-In the [[United Kingdom]], tellers are people working on behalf of [[political parties]] (usually as volunteers) who stand or sit outside the [[polling station]] and collect the electoral registration numbers of voters as they enter or leave.  They play no official part in the election, but their work helps their parties to identify supporters who have not yet voted, so that they can be contacted and encouraged to vote, and offered assistance&mdash;such as transport to the polling station&mdash;if necessary.  Police officers may intervene if tellers “irritate voters, exert
-undue influence or obstruct
-the polling station.”
 <ref>{{Cite web
 |publisher=[[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)]]
 |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/Tellersissuespaper6Oct_18721-13852__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+|archive-url=https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060330120000/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/Tellersissuespaper6Oct_18721-13852__E__N__S__W__.pdf
-|quote=2.2 Tellers traditionally attend polling stations to monitor and assess levels of local
+|url-status = dead
-party support. They sit outside polling stations or inside if there is a convenient
+|archive-date=2006-03-30
-space separate from the polling area. They usually ask voters for their polling
+|quote=2.2 Tellers traditionally attend polling stations to monitor and assess levels of local party support. They sit outside polling stations or inside if there is a convenient space separate from the polling area. They usually ask voters for their polling number when they leave the polling station. The purpose is to identify local supporters who have not yet voted, so that other party activists can urge them to vote before the polls close. However, the activities of tellers have in the past been a source of conflict.
-number when they leave the polling station. The purpose is to identify local
-supporters who have not yet voted in order that other party activists can urge them
-to vote before the close of poll. However the activities of tellers have in the past
-been a source of conflict.
 |title=Electoral alert 30 - Review of guidance for tellers at polling stations (Issues paper)
 |date=2005-10-07
 |accessdate=2008-05-23
 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
+|quote=Where tellers, or others, irritate voters, exert undue influence or obstruct the polling station, the Presiding Officer may seek assistance from the police to resolve the matter.
-|quote=Where tellers, or
-others, irritate voters, exert
-undue influence or obstruct
-the polling station, the
-Presiding Officer may seek
-assistance from the police to
-resolve the matter.
 |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/pocketguide_20253-14903__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+|archive-url=https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060330120000/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/pocketguide_20253-14903__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+|url-status = dead
+|archive-date=2006-03-30
 |title=Pocket Guide: Guidance to police officers, Local elections May 2006
 |accessdate=2008-05-23
@@ Line 36: / Line 37: @@
 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/AppendixE-tellersguide-candidates2006_19726-14349__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+|archive-url=https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060330120000/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/AppendixE-tellersguide-candidates2006_19726-14349__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+|url-status = dead
+|archive-date=2006-03-30
 |title=Appendix E: Tellers guide: Guidance for (Acting) Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, political parties, candidates and agents: local government elections in England on 4 May 2006
 |accessdate=2008-05-23
@@ Line 41: / Line 45: @@
 |publisher=[[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)]]
 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite hansard
-|quote=When I first became involved in politics, there was a clear unwritten convention that on polling day one did not take a loudspeaker anywhere near a polling station. One did not hand out literature at the entrances to polling stations. All that tellers did was take numbers.
+ |quote=When I first became involved in politics, there was a clear unwritten convention that on polling day one did not take a loudspeaker anywhere near a polling station. One did not hand out literature at the entrances to polling stations. All that tellers did was take numbers.
-| url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070226/debtext/70226-0017.htm
+ |url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070226/debtext/70226-0017.htm
-| house=House of Commons | date=2007-02-26 | column= 706
+ |house=House of Commons
+ |title=Debate
+ |date=2007-02-26
+ |column=706
+ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605030445/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070226/debtext/70226-0017.htm
+ |archivedate=2011-06-05
+ |df=
 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy/elections/becoming_a_councillor-faq.htm#10969
@@ Line 49: / Line 59: @@
 |accessdate=2008-05-23
 |date=
-|author=
 |publisher=[[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall Council]]
 }}</ref>
@@ Line 56: / Line 65: @@
 After the May 2005 Northern Ireland elections, the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] concluded that some candidates' [[polling agent]]s unlawfully assisted with identifying supporters who had not yet voted, by passing information from inside the polling place to other party workers. This information is not normally available to parties unless voters give it voluntarily to tellers.<ref>{{Cite web
-|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/NIcombinedelectionsFINALPDF_19163-14140__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+ |url        = http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/NIcombinedelectionsFINALPDF_19163-14140__E__N__S__W__.pdf
+ |archive-url = https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20060330120000/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/NIcombinedelectionsFINALPDF_19163-14140__E__N__S__W__.pdf
-|title=May 2005 Combined Elections Report
+ |url-status = dead
-|page_start=91
+ |archive-date = 2006-03-30
-|page_end=93
+ |title      = May 2005 Combined Elections Report
-|publisher=[[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]]
+ |pages      = 91–93
-|quote=6.70 Despite being made aware of
+ |publisher  = [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]]
-secrecy requirements, some polling agents
-transmitted information from the marked register
+ |quote      = 6.70 Despite being made aware of secrecy requirements, some polling agents transmitted information from the marked register to party workers outside the polling place.
+ |accessdate = 2008-05-23
-to party workers outside the polling place.
+ |date       = 2005-12-15
-|accessdate=2008-05-23
-|date=2005-12-15
 }}</ref>
+== Other assemblies ==
-==See also==
+In other [[Deliberative assembly|deliberative assemblies]], such as [[voluntary association]]s, elections and other matters of importance are frequently voted on by ballot. Tellers are appointed to count those ballots. Normally, the chairman appoints the tellers unless the organization's rules provide that tellers are appointed another way, such as appointment of an elections [[committee]]. The tellers are chosen for their accuracy and dependability, are not directly involved on what is being voted in, and usually are allowed to vote themselves.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised|last = Robert|first = Henry M.|publisher = Da Capo Press|year = 2011|isbn = 978-0-306-82020-5|location = Philadelphia, PA|pages = 414|edition = 11th|display-authors=etal|title-link = Robert's Rules of Order}}</ref>
-*[[Polling agent]]
-*[[Counting agent]]
+== See also ==
+* [[Ballot]]
+* [[Ballot box]]
+* {{section link|Electoral Count Act#Counting procedures}}
+* [[Electoral fraud]]
+* [[Secret ballot]]
+* [[Voting]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 77: / Line 92: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/14349 Electoral Commission UK Guidelines]
+*[https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf_file/Tellers-guidance-generic.pdf Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places], Electoral Commission UK, (PDF, 4 pages.)
-*[http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/how_to_scrutineer.html New Zealand Guidelines]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070429210932/http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/how_to_scrutineer.html New Zealand Guidelines]
 *[http://www.wikihow.com/Scrutineer-in-an-Election-in-Canada Canadian guidelines]
 *[http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy/elections/becoming_a_councillor-faq.htm#10969 Becoming a councillor FAQ: What is the role of the tellers?] – Walsall Council, UK
 [[Category:Elections]]
-{{politics-stub}}