Teacher's time: 1 hour
There are a number of tasks to do before your election. This checklist will help you prepare.
| Task | Details | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Order Election Equipment Pack | Get your free election equipment from Get Voting | 3 weeks before |
| Announce election | Put up Posters and include information in the newsletter | 2 weeks before |
| Book location | A school hall or gym is an ideal polling place, but any space will do | 2 weeks before |
| Confirm timetable with class teachers | Schedule approximately 15 minutes for each class to vote | 1 week before |
| Assemble equipment | See equipment list below | 1 day before |
| Print ballot papers | Use the Get Voting ballot paper generator to customise your election. Print one for each voter plus some spares. If you are running more than one election, use different coloured ballot papers for each | 1 day before |
| Print voter lists | Use the Get Voting voter list generator to create your list then make several copies so that election officials can mark off names as voters receive their ballot paper | 1 day before |
| Brief election officials | Recruit students/teachers for these roles. Refer to Instructions for election officials | 1 day before |
| Set up polling place | Easy traffic flow, a place to collect ballot papers and somewhere to vote in secret are the key elements | On the day |
| Equipment | Description |
|---|---|
| Ballot box* | A secure container to hold completed ballot papers |
| Ballot box seals* | Used to make sure that the ballot box is not tampered with |
| Election official badges* | Allows voters to identify those people involved in managing the election |
| Polling place posters* | Let voters know where, when and how to vote |
| Voter lists | Names of eligible voters are crossed off as they receive their ballot papers |
| Rulers | Used to cross names off the voter lists |
| Pens or pencils | Secure a pencil to each voting table so that voters can complete their ballot paper |
| Tables and chairs | Election officials will need somewhere to sit while issuing ballot papers |
| Ballot papers | Only election officials should handle ballot papers prior to voting |
| Voting tables | These are placed far enough apart to make sure voting is done in secret |
* Items marked are included in the Election Equipment Pack which can be ordered from the get voting website. Pack should be ordered 3 weeks in advance of the election.
Read about the 5 steps here or download the resources to get the full package in print format.
1
Get
started
Planning and nomination
2
Get
organised
Pre-election preparation
3
Get
informed
Voter education & campaigns
4
Get
voting
Election day
5
Get
results
Counting & announcement