Voluntary Election Observer

Democracy Volunteers is the UK's leading election observation group. We observe elections to assess the quality of them and to report back to returning officers, the UK's Electoral Commission, the government, and the public.

On 7th May 2026, we will be deploying around 50 voluntary observers, accredited by the Electoral Commission, to observe the elections to the Scottish Parliament. Volunteers will be tasked with collecting data from inside polling stations and counting venues to assess the electoral process. The day will consist of travelling around Orkney and visiting polling stations with a partner, in order to help us collect data on a wide variety of subjects.

Expenses are covered for travel and subsistence on polling day and for counting. Full training is conducted online and we will be holding a series of online events to tell potential observers more about the process.

What could a volunteer gain from the experience:
Teamwork - it is important that Observers work collaboratively as a pair and alongside the wider deployment;
Communication - Observers must communicate regularly with each other and the core team to update progress. Observers should also introduce themselves to polling staff when entering the polling station and explain that they will observe the voting process for 30-45 minutes;
Organisation - Observers often arrange their own meeting times and routes throughout polling day;
Eye for detail - there is a lot to see in the polling station so observers develop an ability to monitor events closely;
Multitasking - similarly often several events often occur simultaneously in a polling station so multitasking skills will be developed!
Patience - we do not interfere but observe the voting process and report back to the core team afterwards;
Impartiality - Observers must not participate in any partisan campaigning before an election so we gain an understanding of issues from a range of standpoints.

Experience required

- You have to be available to observe polling stations on May 7th 2026. The day is very long and tiring, but enjoyable and rewarding!
- You must be polite and respectful to all officials and the public throughout the day in line with our code of conduct.
- Be able to follow the training provided and accurately record data.
- Be available for an online training and deployment session scheduled to take place in the week prior to the election. The total number of anticipated hours including training and observing is approximately 20 - 30 hours.

Travel expenses

Expenses are covered for travel and subsistence on polling day.

Training details

Full training is conducted online and we will be holding a series of online events to tell potential Observers more about the process.

Comprehensive online training will be provided through our online school. This training will take around 2 hours and be completed at your convenience. You will also need to attend a follow up online training seminar where you can ask any additional questions you have about the role. Then you'll be invited to the online pre-deployment briefing.

Please note that in order to be considered for this role you must be apolitical. This means that we cannot accept applications if you are a member of a political party or are actively campaigning for a candidate at these elections.

Frequency & commitment

A total of 6 hours of training across several evenings, then 15 hours of observation on polling day.

I want to volunteer