In order to conduct parliamentary elections and referendums across the State, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) employs suitably qualified people as Returning Officers (ROs). Returning Officers are responsible for, and oversee, the conduct of an electoral event in their electoral district. One Returning Officer is appointed for each of the State’s 89 electoral districts and usually resides in the electoral district. An Assistant Returning Officer is appointed to assist with the management of the electoral process in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula area (Cook electoral district).
The position of Returning Officer is part-time except during an election period when an RO is required to work full-time for approximately 6 weeks including some weekends. Returning Officers generally operate from a home office when conducting an election. Between elections, ROs are required to attend occasional live-in training workshops of up to 2-3 days’ duration and complete on-going home-based training exercises. ROs may also be asked, from time to time, to assist the Commission in reviews of their electoral district.
Job Description
As a Returning Officer you will be required to: - Manage the electoral event for your district
- Manage financial budget allocations during election periods
- Maintain records and complete election returns and financial procedures accurately and in the required time periods
- Ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees in accordance with the Commission’s policy on Occupational Health and Safety
- Comply with the Commission’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, and maintain an understanding of cultural diversity and a commitment to ethical conduct and standards of practice
- Recruit, appoint and train suitably qualified persons to assist with the conduct of the election in your electoral district
- Hire suitable premises for use as polling booths on election day
- Receive candidate nominations and conduct the draw for position of candidates’ names on the ballot paper
- Arrange and co-ordinate all pre-poll voting including pre-poll (in person), electoral visitor, declared institution and postal voting for electors in your electoral district unable to vote at a polling booth on election day
- Organise the distribution and receipt of election materials and equipment to and from polling booths
- Arrange and co-ordinate voting in your electoral district on polling day
- Co-ordinate the count of votes and relay the results to the Results Centre on election night
- Arrange and co-ordinate the official count of all votes after polling day, including the scrutiny of declaration votes lodged for your district
- Ensure all results, documentation and materials are returned to the Commission within the agreed timeframes and in the manner prescribed in the Returning Officer’s manual
- Liaise with candidates, party workers, scrutineers and electors
Duties between elections - Attend training workshops and conferences and undertake home-based training, as required by the Commission
- Assist in the review of locations of polling booths and Declared Institutions in your electoral district and monitor population trends in relation to siting and staffing of polling booths
- Maintain comprehensive records of staffing, polling booth arrangements and any other relevant information or activity associated with elections
Key Requirements for the position include:
- You must be aged 18 years or over
- You must be currently enrolled as a Queensland elector
- You must meet the requirements of the Commission’s political neutrality policy
- You must have a reliable motor vehicle and a current driver’s licence
Key Selection Criteria:
- Demonstrated project management skills with a record of achievement in seeing a project through to a successful conclusion, achieving specified objectives, deadlines and within budget
- Proven ability to supervise, motivate and train staff
- Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with enquiries within a sensitive environment
- Analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to see the big picture and give attention to detail
- Ability to interpret and follow strict guidelines and to work effectively under pressure
- A high level of experience in the use of computer-based operational systems
- Availability to undertake training and to work with minimal notice
- Willingness to work long hours during an election period
Political Neutrality Policy
The Electoral Commission of Queensland operates the following political neutrality policy: So that public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system and electoral outcomes can be maintained, Commission staff must be and must be seen to be politically neutral and are required to: - Refrain from membership of any political party;
- Refrain from engaging in political activity which could be seen as reflecting adversely on the staff member’s political neutrality; and
- Remain politically neutral in all aspects of work and in dealing with all clients.
If you are interested in applying for this position, download the Returning Officers' application form and send it to the Commission.
Training materials
Materials are available to help Returning Officers and members of the public understand the Commission’s electoral policies and procedures. ROs’ Handbook Supervisors' Handbook Polling Day - Declaration Votes Electoral Visitors' Handbook Polling Day - Ordinary Votes OPV fact sheet
Notional Count Simulation Full Preference Count Simulation FAQs List of Current Returning Officers
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