Aiding the Political Process: Part 1 – Alberta Provincial Election 2015

Working in the Returning Office for an election is an experience like no other. I had this unique opportunity twice in 2015.

The Alberta election was held on May 5. My interview was in January, followed by training in Edmonton in February. In our Red Deer North office there was a Returning Officer, Elections Officer, Trainer and myself. My position was called Administrative Assistant, but was equivalent to being an office manager. Permission was granted to rent office space on April 1, so the Returning Officer, the Elections Clerk and I were busy sorting materials when the election was called. Suddenly, instead of spending a couple hours setting up our space, we were working all day.

My job for that day was to have three desktop and two laptop computers set up and functioning with internet and printer connections. That was no small feat, considering there wasn’t a piece of furniture in the office until after lunch! But with teamwork, it was accomplished by day’s end.
 

Each day’s activities were laid out on a calendar from Elections Alberta, and if followed completely, everything ran smoothly. Days were busy with phone calls, visitors, training and administrative duties.
 

 

Election night was the time for the Administrative Assistant to have the spotlight for a couple hours! It was my job to enter the election results into the Elections Alberta system as they were phoned in. As I did so, the results of each poll were immediately shown on computers and televisions across the province, including one laptop projected to a screen in the office for all the helpers to see.

In keeping with election workers’ policy, there is no comment here regarding the results. We are required to be non-biased in our work and are not to give opinions. Our role is to make the election in our riding run smoothly and provide everyone the chance to vote.

When materials were sorted and packed, all the poll workers pay requests submitted, computers repacked and the furniture returned, our employment was complete.

…watch for part 2 – Canadian Federal Election