Recruitment for elections

The Returning Officer for Carmarthenshire County Council is seeking applications of interest from members of the public who wish to be part of a pool of casual election staff and considered for casual election related work.

Role and duties:

Roles include working in one of the numerous polling stations across the County as a Presiding Officer or Poll Clerk, or working as a count assistant sorting, verifying and counting votes cast after the election.

All staff are appointed and employed by the Returning Officer not Carmarthenshire County Council and as such the council’s normal recruitment policies and procedures do not apply to these temporary posts. 

We are currently reviewing our fees, and these will be updated shortly.

Requirements:

We are looking for polite and professional individuals with the following competencies:

• Good communication/people skills
• Ability to remain calm 
• Attention to detail and understanding the importance of accuracy
• Treating others impartially and with respect
• Willing to attend all training provided

In addition to the above, all election staff must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be entitled to work in the UK (in accordance with the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996) and you must provide proof of right to work in the UK with the required evidence upon application.
• Not work on behalf of a candidate during an election campaign
• Polling and count staff must consent to working in excess of the normal working hours provided for by the working time directive

If you meet the above criteria and are interested in becoming involved, we would love to hear from you.

 

Senedd Elections 2026

Carmarthenshire County Council is beginning preparations for the Senedd elections which will be held on the 7 May 2026.

Polling station staff are recruited and appointed by the Returning Officer. At this stage we are seeking interest from staff.

The polling hours are 7am to 10pm. Staff need to arrive at the polling station at 6.15am latest to set up and be there to close down the polling station at the end of the poll. Each polling station will have a Presiding Officer who will be responsible for the overall running of the polling station and at least one Poll Clerk. An online training session is compulsory to your appointment; however you will be able to do this in your own time.

The main duties of polling staff are to:

• Act impartially at all times
• Collect the ballot box and ensure its safety until polling day (Presiding Officers only)
• Understand any new requirements of the role and changes to legislation
• Provide assistance to voters where appropriate
• Assist with the layout of the polling station and prepare for the opening of the poll
• Check if voters are eligible to vote
• Issue ballot papers to voters
• Check and mark each voter’s number in the register of electors
• Participate in compulsory online training and implement guidelines and instructions provided

 

Fees - Fees are yet to be set, however it will be in the region of:

• Presiding Officers: £351 and £35 for completing an online training session
• Poll Clerk: £238 and £35 for completing an online training session

Fees are subject to tax deductions.

 

Appointments will be made as far as possible on a first come, first served basis but will also be dependent on the areas of Carmarthenshire that an individual is prepared to work in.

 

Training - It is essential that all polling staff participate in the training session. The training will be delivered online, and you may carry out this training in your own time.

 

If you are interested in applying for either position, please complete the our e-form as soon as possible.

We are always looking to recruit staff. If you know of any family members, friends, neighbours that may be interested, please ask them to complete our online e-form.

 

Note:

• Check with your manager to confirm availability before replying.
• CCC polling station staff will not have to take annual/flexi leave for working on election day
• Appointments made are subject to you participating in the training session.

 

Information for Counting Assistants - Recruiting for Count Staff will take place separately.

Please email your queries to Electoral Services on 01267 228889 or electoralservices@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

 

How to apply

You can express your interest using our online form.