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 In elections in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia, a polling agent is someone appointed by either the election agent of a candidate standing for election, or where there is no election agent the candidate personally, to oversee conduct ...

s and

counting agent A counting agent is a type Electoral observer and may be self-nominated, appointed by either the candidate standing for election or the candidate's election agent to oversee the counting at the election count. In the United Kingdom there is no ...

s who officially represent candidates.

United Kingdom

In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, tellers work on behalf of

political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...

(usually as volunteers). They stand or sit outside the

polling station A polling place is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English and British English, although polling place is the building

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

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. 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 In political science, voter turnout is the participation rate (often defined as those who cast a ballot) of a given election. This can be the percentage of registered voters, eligible voters, or all voting-age people. According to Stanford Univ ...

is generally a stated objective. Police officers may intervene if tellers "irritate voters, exert

undue influence Undue influence (UI) is a psychological process by which a person's free will and judgement is supplanted by that of another. It is a legal term and the strict definition varies by jurisdiction. Generally speaking, it is a means by which a per ...

or obstruct the polling station." 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'

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.

Other assemblies

In other deliberative assemblies, such as

voluntary association A voluntary group or union (also sometimes called a voluntary organization, common-interest association, association, or society) is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement, usually as volunteers, to form a body (or organization) to ac ...

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 A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

. 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.

References

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External links

Guidance on the conduct of tellers in and around polling places
Electoral Commission UK, 14 Nov 2011. (PDF, 5 pages.)
Canadian guidelines
– Walsall Council, UK Elections

United Kingdom

Other assemblies

See also

References

External links