What is a polling agent? Polling agents are entitled by law to access polling stations for the purpose of detecting personation.1 They can also observe the procedures to be followed inside a polling station.
What is a counting agent?
Counting agents have a number of important roles to play at the count:
- they observe the counting process and make sure that it is accurate
- they can draw to the attention of count staff any doubtful ballot papers
- if they disagree with a decision by the LRO to reject a ballot paper, they can ask the LRO to mark on the ballot paper “rejection objected to”
- if a count is suspended for any reason, there is a break between the end of verification and the start of the count and/or ballot boxes with verified ballot papers need to be transported to a different location for counting, counting agents can add their seals when the LRO seals the ballot boxes and envelopes
