Positions
Returning Office
A returning office is established in each electoral division to conduct electoral events. This office is staffed by a Returning Officer, Election Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Trainer and IT Support. While the returning office is only open during the election period, the Returning Officer and Election Clerk are appointed well in advance of the election to perform pre-election preparation duties.
Returning Officers are responsible for the planning, preparation, and conduct of an election in their electoral division. One Returning Officer is appointed to each of the 87 electoral divisions, to ensure that all eligible electors living within that division are provided with an opportunity to vote.
Each Returning Officer establishes polling subdivisions, and makes arrangements for Election Day, advance and mobile polling locations. The Returning Officer recruits a team of returning office staff, including the Election Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Trainer, and IT Support to assist them in conducting the election. The Returning Officer is supported by a Returning Officer Liaison and Elections Alberta in performing their role and is required to follow all processes and procedures in accordance with the Election Act and the direction of Elections Alberta.
Election Clerks are appointed in each electoral division to provide election management support for the Returning Officer. The Election Clerk provides direct support and assistance to the Returning Officer in preparing for the election, selecting returning office staff, opening a returning office and conducting the election. Once an election is called, the Election Clerk leads the recruitment of election officers, as well as assists the Returning Officer in managing the duties of returning office staff.
The Election Clerk would perform the role of the Returning Officer, should the Returning Officer not be able to continue in their duties. The Election Clerk is required to follow all processes and procedures in accordance with the Election Act and the direction of Elections Alberta.
Administrative Assistants are hired by the Returning Officer in each electoral division to provide administrative support. The Administrative Assistant is the first contact to the public, candidates, and other election stakeholders. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for managing the in-office and mail-out Special Ballots for the electoral division. The Administrative Assistant performs data entry and prepares reports for the Returning Officer, Election Clerk, and the Trainer throughout the election period. The Administrative Assistant is required to follow all processes and procedures in accordance with the Election Act and the direction of Elections Alberta.
Trainers are hired in each electoral division to provide classroom training to all election officers. Trainers conduct in-person scenario-based training sessions to prepare election staff for their roles. The training provided includes the technology-based processes for advance polls, paper-based processes used on Election Day, and problem-solving techniques. Trainer’s plan and organize the training schedules for election officers and conduct training sessions in various locations throughout the electoral division. The Trainer uses the provided training materials supplied by Elections Alberta to assist in the delivery of training. Trainers also assist in the recruitment of election officers. The Trainer is required to follow all processes and procedures in accordance with the Election Act and the direction of Elections Alberta.
One IT Support Staff is hired for each electoral division to assist with technology in the returning office and at the advance polls. The IT Support Staff prepares and manages equipment including loading software and files on laptops. They ensure equipment is delivered and assembled at polling stations and returned after the electoral event concludes. The IT Support Staff supports the trainer in conducting training for election officers and provide troubleshooting support throughout the election period, especially during advance poll days. The IT Support staff is required to follow all processes and procedures in accordance with the Election Act and the direction of Elections Alberta.
IT Support Staff Job Description
IT Support Staff Fee Schedule
Election Day
The workday begins with voting place setup at 8:00am and concludes with the completion of an unofficial count after the close of voting. Election officers must be prepared to set up the voting place, provide back-up to other voting day staff, assist with the unofficial count, and complete additional tasks as assigned.
A Site Supervisor is assigned to every Election Day voting location. The Site Supervisor is the senior official at the voting place and is responsible for supervising all election staff and activities occurring in the voting place.
Responsibilities
- Conducting a site visit / contacting the building representative to prepare the voting place for the election (arranging access and keys, determining site specific emergency procedures).
- Supervising the voting place setup.
- Supervising voting place activities and the quality of work completed by other election officers.
- Managing election officers’ breaks.
- Managing scrutineer.
- tracking and distributing ballots to voting stations as required throughout Election Day.
- Assisting electors.
- Assigning tasks to election officers to best serve electors.
- Overseeing and directing election officers in the completion of the unofficial count.
- Ensuring results are reported to the returning office upon the completion of the unofficial count at each voting station.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- removing material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs).
- Acting as the primary contact with the returning office to report status of the locations, discuss any issues that arise, and get answers to key questions.
- Being familiar with the duties of all positions and performing the duties of other election officers as required.
- Coordinating with candidates and media.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 18 years old on Election Day.
- Have significant election experience.
- Have map reading skills.
- Have effective communication and public relations skills.
- Have experience in conflict resolution.
Remuneration
- $150 for the completion of online and classroom training and to complete the site visit/arrangements with the voting place.
- $350 for Election Day duties.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
An Information Officer is responsible for assisting electors in determining their voting area, if necessary. An Information Officer is appointed to all voting places with two or more voting stations. In a voting place with one voting station, the Site Supervisor performs this role.
Responsibilities
- Greeting electors and directing them to the Registration Station, or to the correct voting station.
- Assisting the Site Supervisor in any area required.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Removing material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs).
- Maintaining the premises where the voting place is located.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have strong communications and public relations skills.
- Have map reading skills.
Remuneration
- $75 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for Election Day duties.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Voting Officer is responsible for assisting electors with the voting process and responding to elector questions. A Voting Officer is appointed for each voting station. The Voting Officer will work with a Record Clerk to administer voting and maintain the voting record for their assigned voting area(s).
Responsibilities
- Setting up the voting station.
- Prior to the start of voting, showing the ballot box is empty.
- Sealing the ballot box.
- Maintaining the ballots and ballot box.
- Verifying an elector’s qualifications.
- Checking for authorized identification.
- Administering the Declaration of Elector, the VouchingDeclaration, and necessary oaths, when required.
- Issuing ballots to electors, providing instruction in completing the ballot, providing replacement ballots if required (spoiled ballots), and receiving ballots from any electors who decline to vote.
- Assisting electors to read or mark the ballot, where they have requested assistance.
- Assisting electors to deposit their ballots.
- Administering curbside voting, where requested.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Conducting the unofficial count.
- Removing material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs).
- Returning the ballot box and supplies to the Returning Officer if the Site Supervisor cannot.
- Instructing Scrutineers of the proper procedures in the voting place.
Qualifications
- Have previous election experience.
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have good communication and public relations skills.
Remuneration
- $75 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for Election Day duties.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Registration Officer is responsible for registering new electors using the Declaration of Elector process. A Registration Officer is required in voting places with three or more voting stations.
Responsibilities
- Setting up the registration station.
- Maintaining the ballots.
- Verifying an elector’s qualifications.
- Checking for authorized identification.
- Determining an elector’s voting area.
- Administering the Declaration of Elector, Vouching and necessary oaths, when required.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Removing material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs)
- Supporting the unofficial count and reporting results from each voting station to the returning office.
- Returning the ballot box and supplies to the Returning Officer if the Site Supervisor cannot.
- Instructing Scrutineers of the proper procedures in the voting place.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have strong public relations and communications skills.
- Have good map reading skills.
Remuneration
- $75 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for Election Day duties.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Record Clerk works as a team with a Voting Officer to administer voting and maintain the voting records for their assigned voting area(s).
Responsibilities
- Maintaining the voting record.
- Gathering Where to Vote cards, declarations, and oaths.
- Maintaining the Record of Electors Who Voted on Election Day.
- Maintaining voting booths.
- Witnessing assistance being provided to an elector to read or market the ballot. where they have requested assistance from the Voting Officer.
- Administering curbside voting, where requested.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Assuming the responsibilities of the Voting Officer or Registration Officer, if necessary.
- Conducting the unofficial count.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have experience and good written and communication skills.
- Have legible handwriting.
Remuneration
- $75 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for Election Day duties.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Site Monitor directs electors to the voting place and ensures electors leave the facility immediately after casting their ballot. Reporting to the Site Supervisor, this position is an as-required role – mainly at schools – and is not appointed as an election officer. They may only perform the duties of a Site Monitor. No training is required for this role.
Qualifications
You must be at least 16 years of age to be eligible for this position.
Remuneration
$15/hour for work completed on Election Day.
Advance Voting
Advance voting place staff usually work all five advance voting days. The workday begins with setting up the voting place one hour prior to its opening and concludes with closing the voting place each day.
All advance voting election officers must be prepared to set up the voting place, provide back-up to other voting day staff, and complete additional tasks (as assigned).
The Site Supervisor is the senior election official and is responsible for supervising all election staff and activities occurring in an advance voting location. One Site Supervisor is assigned to every advance voting location, and in a small advance voting place, also performs the duties of the Information Officer.
Responsibilities
- Conducting a site visit / contacting the building representative to prepare the voting place for the election (arranging access and keys, determining site specific emergency procedures).
- Supervising the voting place setup.
- Supervising voting place activities and the quality of work completed by other election officers.
- Managing election officers’ breaks.
- Managing scrutineers.
- Tracking and distributing ballots to voting stations as required throughout advance voting.
- Assisting electors.
- Maintaining the voting booths.
- Assigning tasks to election officers to best serve electors.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Securing materials between advance voting days, as required.
- Removing material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs).
- Returning all election supplies after the completion of the final advance voting day.
- Acting as the primary contact with the returning office to report status of the locations, discuss any issues that arise, and get answers to key questions.
- Being familiar with the duties of all positions and performing the duties of other election officers as required.
- Coordinating with candidates and media.
- Overseeing and directing election officers in the completion of the unofficial count.
- Reporting results to the returning office upon the completion of the unofficial count.
- Returning all supplies and ballots for the voting place upon completion of the unofficial count.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 18 years old on Election Day.
- Have significant election experience.
- Have map reading skills.
- Have effective communication and public relations skills.
- Have experience in conflict resolution.
Remuneration
- $180 for the completion of online and classroom training and to complete the site visit/arrangements with the voting place.
- $350 for each advance voting day.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
An Information Officer is responsible for assisting electors in determining if they are eligible to vote, if they are on the List of Electors, and directing them to an available voting station. An Information Officer is appointed to all medium and large advance voting places. In a small advance voting place, the Site Supervisor performs this role.
Responsibilities
- Greeting electors and directing them to a voting station.
- Assisting the Site Supervisor in any area required.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Maintaining the premises where the voting place is located.
- Conducting the unofficial count on Election Day.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have strong communications and public relations skills.
- Have map reading skills.
Remuneration
- $90 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for each voting day.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Voting Officer, working independently, administers the voting process at each voting station, including registering electors at each voting station at an advance voting location.
Responsibilities
- Setting up the voting station.
- Verifying the elector’s qualifications.
- Checking for authorized identification.
- Maintaining the electronic voting record.
- Determining the elector’s voting area.
- Administering the Declaration of Elector, Vouching and necessary oaths, when required.
- Issuing ballots to electors, providing instructions in completing the ballot, providing replacement ballots, if required (spoiled ballots), and receiving ballots from any electors who decline to vote.
- Assisting electors to read or mark the ballot, where they have requested assistance.
- Administering curbside voting, where requested.
- Gathering Where to Vote cards, declarations, and oaths.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Securing materials between advance voting days, as required.
- Removing election material from the voting place (including voting screens, posters, signs).
- Returning election supplies to the Returning Officer if the Site Supervisor cannot.
- Instructing Scrutineers of the proper procedures in the voting place.
- Conducting the unofficial count on Election Day.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have previous election experience.
- Have good map reading skills.
- Have good communication and public relations skills.
Remuneration
- $90 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for each voting day.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Ballot Box Clerk is responsible for assisting electors in casting their ballots at each advance voting location.
Responsibilities
- Prior to the start of voting, showing the ballot box is empty.
- Sealing the ballot box.
- Maintaining the ballot box.
- Assisting electors to deposit their ballots.
- Maintaining peace and order in the voting place.
- Securing materials between advance voting days, as required.
- Returning the ballot box to the returning office if the Site Supervisor cannot.
- Instructing Scrutineers of the proper procedures in the voting place.
- Conducting the unofficial count on Election Day.
Qualifications
- Be a resident in the Electoral Division where the voting place is located (preferred).
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day.
- Have experience in dealing with the public.
Remuneration
- $90 for the completion of online and classroom training.
- $255 for each voting day.
- Where applicable, mileage or other expenses approved by the Returning Officer are paid in addition to the fees.
A Site Monitor directs electors to the voting place and ensures electors leave the facility immediately after casting their ballot. Reporting to the Site Supervisor, this position is an as-required role – mainly at schools – and is not appointed as an election officer. They may only perform the duties of a Site Monitor. No training is required for this role.
Qualifications
You must be at least 16 years of age to be eligible for this position.
Remuneration
$15/hour for work completed at and advance voting location.