Where are election staff recruited from?

fergalfrog

Hi,

With a general election inevitable in the next few months I was just wondering about where/how vacancies for election staff are adverstised.

Specifically the likes of vote counting or running polling stations.

TIA.

sipstrassi

Was involved with the renting of a building for a count related to the second Lisbon treaty and the local council elections and all of the count staff were from the council. Was speaking to one of them and they got travel expenses and overtime for it. They also got their meals as they couldn't leave while the count was on.
The security staff were in the main ex-gardai.

fergalfrog

But surely all the staff are not re-deployed council staff? I can't believe such efficiencies exist in county councils?

I think it's something that is going to be impossible to get without knowing someone to get you in.

sipstrassi

The polling in that case was on a Friday so the counting was over the weekend and the council offices were closed.

Think you're right. Who you know not what you know. Our nation's unofficial motto.

crystalmice

I know someone who does all the elections, unreal money (400e for a day) but he got the job because his friends dad worked for the council I think..and n ow everytime theres an election he gets a call to work

mikemac

fergalfrog wrote: »

I was just wondering about where/how vacancies for election staff are adverstised.

Council staff
Or you can be selected and put on the list. A lad in work knows staff in his local council, that's how he got it.
But he has to work every election as if he turns down work he'll get knocked off the list. So take a days annual leave from his main job and then do this

Good money and expenses but as said you cannot leave the building. So very long hours

Pet

When I was in TY, the local council recruited some of us to help with the whole e-voting thing (the less said about that fiasco, the better). Anyway, I got paid ****LOADS of money (400e for the day, a lot when you're 16), the old-timers didn't want me interfering with their system so I basically sat on my arse reading books for 16 hours. BEST. JOB. EVER.

As feelingstressed said, though, if you turn down work, you're knocked off the list. Some election clashed with my Leaving Cert, and I had to wave goodbye to that gravy-train. :-(

There is a waiting list, and it is long, and it is usually friends and family of people who already work there. Sorry, OP, but gigs like this take the Fianna Fail, tent-at-the-Galway-races approach to recruitment. Unless you know someone who knows someone underworked and overpaid, you're shít outta luck.

snappieT

I believe you're recruited from a list. Parents used to do it a lot (both civil servants), and they'd get a letter from the returning officer requesting their assistance at the polling station or count.

Counts, seemingly, are hell. Party reps peering over your shoulder checking you're counting correctly, staying until the early hours of the morning until the count is complete, wishing a recount isn't requested etc.

How to get onto the list, however, is another matter altogether.

fergalfrog

€400 (if true) for a days work is good by anyones standard. I cannot believe it is that much.

Pet wrote: »

Unless you know someone who knows someone underworked and overpaid, you're shít outta luck.

Ok here's the deal - if anyone stumbles upon this thread over the next few months with the power to get me on that list please PM me. I am willing to negotiate a donation for your efforts (provided in brown or other coloured envelope if desired) and for €400 I will travel anywhere in the country. Your details will be kept strictly confidential.

I have a degree in Maths so I will not let you down by making a balls of the count. In fact I first learned to count to multiples of 10,000 at least 25 years ago.

Maybe I am missing something but it is insane that with levels of unemployment at where they are the government is forking out €400 to people for this.

One ticket for Gravy Train please.

Dymo

I work as a Presiding Officer and the pay is normally over the €400 after tax and prsi for the day. The court offices and the county council organise the elections in constituency I work in so you can send in any applications in there. You get the sack if there's any mistakes in the voting procedure and its a long day from 6:30 to 11:00 at night as I have to bring the election box to the Garda station for collection.

I got the job because my friend had the position and nominated me when he wasn't able to do it but its nearly always by personal recommendation same with the counting of the ballot papers

Bazzo

I know a couple people who work at elections.

Both got in by knowing someone who knew someone, so us plebs are out of luck I'm afraid.

mikemac

fergalfrog wrote: »

One ticket for Gravy Train please.

It's not an eight hour day, in fact it's closer to double that. Voting is 7am to 10pm and you before to open up and then stay on afterwards to secure the ballot boxes.

You are there for the day, you don't leave.

And the count can drag on into the early hours

You're looking at the headline figure of €400 but it's earned

fergalfrog

I was using the term Gravy Train as that is what it was referred to earlier...

Even if it is a long day (06:30 to 23:00) it still works out at well over €24 an hour after tax with (as yet) unconfirmed reports of travel expenses and meals. I can't imagine everyone needs to be there for the full 16.5 hours?

Also since it seems the consensus is that it is very hard to get in to and protected by those who have it (a who you know policy), it would seem that it is well worth doing.

Correct me if I am wrong but could it not be argued this is very close to Gravy Train status?

Mountjoy Mugger

It's gravy train status if you believe all the shíte that people tell you.

pow wow

fergalfrog wrote: »

I was using the term Gravy Train as that is what it was referred to earlier...

Even if it is a long day (06:30 to 23:00) it still works out at well over €24 an hour after tax with (as yet) unconfirmed reports of travel expenses and meals. I can't imagine everyone needs to be there for the full 16.5 hours?

Also since it seems the consensus is that it is very hard to get in to and protected by those who have it (a who you know policy), it would seem that it is well worth doing.

Correct me if I am wrong but could it not be argued this is very close to Gravy Train status?

In my experience in the UK at least (where it's not as shrouded in mystery as it seems to be here!) poll clerks had to be present for the entire time the polling station was open and about half hour either side with no leaving for breaks etc. The presiding officer worked slightly longer as they had to transport the boxes to the count centres afterward. The counts took as long as they need to, though if a recount is called and goes on beyond a certain pre-determined period an additional payment would be made.

I was involved in recruitment and training of election staff in the UK and it's all done publicly there (advertised in newspapers etc.). Potential staff are count tested for speed/accuracy and added to a list and then called when required. I've supervised at local, parliamentary and european counts (including numerous recounts) - the rate isn't on a par with what the staff get here but I still fly back to do it once a year or so. The day is long and often boring but from my experience it is easy money.

I've thought about throwing my hat in the ring for it here but I'd have to figure out where exactly the ring is first :P

fergalfrog

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

It's gravy train status if you believe all the shíte that people tell you.

Have you anything to offer to suggest what has been said is not true - I can only go on what I am told.

pow wow wrote: »

The day is long and often boring but from my experience it is easy money.

I've thought about throwing my hat in the ring for it here but I'd have to figure out where exactly the ring is first

Based on what you have said about the process in UK, the system here is inefficient and unfair.

I am going to chase down this ring so if anyone has addresses etc of people I can write to so as to get on this list please PM me - thanks.

the-jojo-axiom

Okay, so I found the person responsible for the count (this is who my local politician told me to direst enquiries to), called into his office today and was told not to call back until the date is called. So no point in trying to get in there early, or show any initiative. Yeah, that's Ireland for ya.

katkin

I seem to remember but can't be sure that those working at the polling station where I voted last year (a school) were teachers from that school - can this be correct? It seems very unfair not to give this work to suitably qualified people on the live register. And why is the situation allowed to continue where these jobs are not advertised in the normal way of public jobs? Civil servants and teachers with full-time work and the day off should not under any circumstances be allowed to do this work.

Denerick

I want on this gravy train, and I want on now. How much does it cost to persuade someone in a position of importance?

Riamfada

They wont bother staffing until the election date is set.

wmpdd3

Grimes wrote: »

They wont bother staffing until the election date is set.

This is why it is the same staff used every election. It took 1 month of asking on a national message board to even find out who to apply to!

Riamfada

wmpdd3 wrote: »

This is why it is the same staff used every election. It took 1 month of asking on a national message board to even find out who to apply to!

Get a Fianna Fail relation

eslsys

you have to wait for the election to be announced.

Then contact the office of your local returning officer, usually the sheriff's office, and ask them to send you an application form

Butch Cassidy

Riamfada wrote: »

They wont bother staffing until the election date is set.

Election date was only set today and already there's no jobs.
http://www.dublincountyreturningofficer.com/

eslsys

Transparent process .... as ever in this country.

fergalfrog

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

Election date was only set today and already there's no jobs.
http://www.dublincountyreturningofficer.com/

At least they tell you - http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com and all the others don't bother.

Just to update this thread I started, myself and at least 2 others made an effort to get on this and while it's early days there has been nothing to suggest we will be in any way successful.

pow wow

fergalfrog wrote: »

Just to update this thread I started, myself and at least 2 others made an effort to get on this and while it's early days there has been nothing to suggest we will be in any way successful.

Likewise, although one did reply and ask if I was employed/unemployed and if they could see my electoral qualifications (they are real!) so I sent back copies of my certificates.

I guess we won't know until much closer to the time.

deelite

fergalfrog wrote: »

At least they tell you - http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com and all the others don't bother.

Just to update this thread I started, myself and at least 2 others made an effort to get on this and while it's early days there has been nothing to suggest we will be in any way successful.

I rang up the office to ask about "future positions" as "polling clerk" and the lady on the phone said (this was on Monday morning) that the list was already closed - but to send in my details - as I might be required at short notice. As yet not a word from them (no surprise there then) !!!!

shadowqueen

It's not worth it for anyone on the live register as they have to sign off, do the election, then sign back on again and would lose week's benefits. It is very difficult to get the polling station jobs - the clerk, crossing-names-off-the-list job tends to go to the person who did it ok the last time. That said, I got on the list by applying to the local courthouse and getting called the day before when someone was sick. I dread that day for the sheer, mind-numbing, bone-crushing, complete and utter boredom and frustration of it. But the pay is good and I don't think I would get through college without it. I do intend to give up poll clerk when I get a full-time job though.

The presiding officer is usually a school principal or someone senior for a good reason - the idea was that someone senior in the community, who would know most of the locals by sight, would be able to identify them when they show up for their vote - if not, how easy would it be for a politician's assistant to basically buy polling cards from people who weren't going to vote anyway and go from constituency to constituency, voting under several different names? (There is also the fact that a lot of people are lethargic at the best of times and the thought that their former teacher is there at the polling station waiting for them gets them out, which to my mind is a good thing)

It is a tricky one, they are strict about who they let in, but it's a massively important job and they need to know you're of good character. That said it is much easier to get in with connections

The count is a bit easier, probably due to the sheer number of counters they need. Just send in a letter to your local returning officer expressing interest and giving your PPS number and date of birth, and hope for the best. I think it's fair to say from the Local, European and Lisbon counts I did that most people there got in that way.

Of course, if you've canvassed for a candidate in that election, you can't work at it. But I'd say send in a letter and hope for the best, worked for me

kaseyj

You apply to the returning officer for your county. Which for almost all counties outside of Dublin and Cork is the County Registrar who is usually based in the Circuit Court Office.
Most of the earlier comments are correct that it is difficult to get in to a presiding officer or polling clerk post but the reasons for this are simple .If you get the post once for a particular polling station you remain on that station for life unless for any reason you are unable to attend an election. If you can't attend, the next suitable person on list is called (they then keep the post). To get on the list you write to your local returning officer prior to the election date. Most new appointments will be at very short notice due to the short notice attached to organising most elections. I've done presiding officer for last 2 elections. I got the post at short notice when someone dropped out. I am a civil servant. The money was very good the first time I did it. But has dropped and big cuts on the way this time by all accounts. The 400 euro for the day mentioned earlier is in my experience pre tax. Paye,Prsi,Income Levy and USC will all come out of this. The day is very long with no leaving building!! A few of my friends who were unemployed did the last one and it messed up their payments for weeks. So although I agree it would be good for it to go to people who are unemployed. The system unfortunately isn't set up to accomodate this

Dymo

The letters have been sent out in my constituency so its only in the next week will they know whether there are any positions available.

johnfás

I got a call yesterday offering this. Does anybody know if it is possible to take one day off JSA in order to do it or will it create a greater headache than it is worth?

deelite

I too got a phone call - checking my availability - (I have no connections with anybody) - so I hope to get confirmation soon.

Siobh73

Just got the call this evening to go to training evening tomorrow for possible selection as Presiding Officer. I am currently waiting on a decision on means tested Jobseekers Allowance and wonder does anyone know do I have to sign off, even though I'm not actually receiving any benefit at the moment?

baldbear

I didn't apply for these jobs but FG canvessers offered me €150 to cross off names of people who vote on polling day. Sounds like a pain in the ass but i need the cash. Has anyone ever done this on behalf of a party?

The_Conductor

baldbear wrote: »

I didn't apply for these jobs but FG canvessers offered me €150 to cross off names of people who vote on polling day. Sounds like a pain in the ass but i need the cash. Has anyone ever done this on behalf of a party?

Just an observation- I thought none of the political parties were allowed have staff/canvassers inside the polling stations?

pow wow

They're not to my knowledge but they can stand outside if they like asking people their names as they enter/leave.

deelite

Siobh73 wrote: »

Just got the call this evening to go to training evening tomorrow for possible selection as Presiding Officer. I am currently waiting on a decision on means tested Jobseekers Allowance and wonder does anyone know do I have to sign off, even though I'm not actually receiving any benefit at the moment?

I think you only lose one day's benefit from the social welfare.

marziparzi

Anyone got an idea when poll clerks and counting staff will be paid in Dublin City area?

The_Conductor

marziparzi wrote: »

Anyone got an idea when poll clerks and counting staff will be paid in Dublin City area?

Payruns are normally forthnightly, in arrears- this would have been a payweek- so realistically in or around Thursday/Friday the 17th-18th? Its something like this across the board, and is pretty standard. Some constituencies may be handled differently (monthly in arrears). Easiest thing is to ring and have it clarified.