ELECTIONS for most people are one-day events which involve simply making a choice, crossing a ballot paper and putting it a box or into the post.

But for Swindon Council’s electoral services team, it is a huge administrative effort requiring months of meticulous planning and mountains of paperwork.

And the team of four permanent staff, based at the Civic Offices, in Euclid Street, is busily working on the all-out local elections on May 3.

Normally only one third of seats are available in Swindon at any one election, but this time every seat will be up for grabs because of re-drawn ward boundaries.

There will be a 57-member council, with 18 three-member wards, one two-member ward (Chiseldon & Lawn), and a single one-member ward (Ridgeway).

The electoral services team comprises manager Sally Sprason, electoral services officers Tom Marshall and Rachel Thomas, administrator Zara MacMillan and temporary helper Jill MacMillan.

“We are really up together,” said Sally, whose team has also been chosen to run the election for Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner in November.

“All the members of staff have got their own jobs to do and their own targets and we have weekly meetings to make sure everyone is on track, and to work out a project plan, which is extremely tight.

“If we don’t think we’re going to achieve a deadline, we’ve got to do extra hours to keep up with it.

“Everything is so tight. And once the election timetable starts, there’s no room for forgetting anything.”

Since starting the project in November, they have booked all 95 polling stations and organised the 350 staff who will help on the day as poll clerks, presiding officers, vote counters and in other roles.

Nomination forms for candidates were submitted between March 27, when the notice of election was printed, and Wednesday, April 4 at noon, when the names of the 170 candidates were announced.

The team is now preparing the ballot papers, which will be extra large this year due to the all-out elections.

Polling cards for all potential voters in Swindon - more than 160,000 in total – were hand-delivered between March 24 and April 2.

And postal votes will go out from April 23. More than 25,000 will be checked and counted by a team of about 25 people from April 27 until the election day itself.

Rachel Thomas, who is responsible for processing postal votes, said: “It’s a big task but it’s enjoyable. It’s just a great atmosphere. We all do our own bit but we all work together for the same end result.”

Don’t miss out

Swindon Council is urging people to ensure they are on the electoral register by April 18, which will enable them to vote.

It is are also warning electors, who will be out of town or unable to attend a polling station, that they must fill in and return a postal vote application form by the same date.

To check you are on the electoral register, look at one of the copies at the Central Library, in Regent Street, or the Civic Offices, in Euclid Street, or call electoral services on 01793 464601.

Postal vote forms are available by calling the team or online at www.swindon.gov.uk.