Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Elections
36. Presiding officers
Feedback & supportThe Returning Officer must appoint, and may revoke the appointment of, one or more persons (called in this Act presiding officers) to preside at each polling station.
Returning Officer
“Returning Officer” means the Returning Officer appointed under section 3;
If more than one presiding officer is appointed for any polling station, the Returning Officer may appoint one of the presiding officers to be the senior presiding officer who is to exercise general supervision over the other presiding officers, and over all arrangements for the conduct of the poll in that station.
polling station
“polling station” means any polling station established by or under the authority of the Returning Officer under section 36A for voters to cast their votes at an election, and includes any overseas polling station;
Each presiding officer must be supplied with a copy of that part of the register of electors containing the names of electors in the register assigned to the presiding officer’s polling place.
register of electors
“register” or “register of electors” means the register of electors for any particular electoral division comprising sections, each of which shall relate to a polling district of that electoral division;
If any presiding officer is, by sickness or other cause, prevented from acting at any election and there is insufficient time for another person to be appointed by the Returning Officer, the presiding officer may appoint a deputy to act for him or her.
election
“election” means an election for the purpose of electing a Member of Parliament;
Every such appointment must as soon as possible be reported to the Returning Officer, and may be revoked by the Returning Officer, but without affecting the validity of anything already done by the deputy.
The Returning Officer may, if he or she thinks fit, preside at any polling station, and the provisions of this Act relating to a presiding officer apply to the Returning Officer.