Counting agent
In elections in the United Kingdom, a counting agent is someone appointed by either the election agent of a candidate standing for election, or where there is no election agent the candidate him- or herself, to oversee the counting at the election count. There is no requirement to appoint any though.
The number of counting agents which can be appointed is determined by the returning officer of the election and is usually dependent on the number of counting clerks at the count. Counting agents are appointed after the period when nominations to the election are made. The election timetable will state by when counting agents have to be appointed by, and this is usually about a week before the polling day.
The rules on who can be a counting agent are quite lax and even the candidate can be a counting agent.
The role of the counting agent is to oversee the count itself, though they may not touch any of the ballot papers and must act through the returning officer.
At many counts across the country, only the candidate, the candidate's partner and the candidate's counting agents may enter the place where voting takes place.
See also
External links
 | This job-, occupation-, or vocation-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |