Due to the unfortunate death of a hard working local councillor our ward had to have a by-election yesterday. For nearly 20 years now I have always worked in the polling stations (or as they are known now polling place). So yesterday saw me going over to Tummell Bridge to work. Although just outside The Park I thought it would be worth telling you what actually goes into being a member of staff. Yes we do get paid as officials of the council, but when you work out the hours involved it is not a large sum. Before each election you attend a training session to update you on how the election will be run. I have to pick up the box the day before & check I have all the necessary paperwork.Then on the day staff have to be in place for 6.20am, to enable to set the paperwork, ballot box, booths in the right place & according to the rules laid out for us.
Tummell Bridge is a small village & roughly a third of the people work away, so have postal votes, others come to vote from over a vast area with most probably 8 miles away being the furthest one has to travel. So as we have to be there until 10pm it is a long day. Throughout the day you have party representatives coming to find out the percentage of those that have voted & also an inspector (appointed by the council) comes round at least 3 times during the day. His job is to check that all the correct procedures are being carried out, help with any crisis that may have arisen & check that we are all fine. They have the training, so if anyone is taken ill, they can step in the breach until a relief person can take over.
Of course we as polling staff have to stay within the perimeter of the polling place, but when it is as nice a day as yesterday we can sit outside & await the next voter. with toilet & meal breaks you can often be left to deal with voters, but me & my poll clerk are always aware of the sound of approaching cars & will normally be manning our desk by the time anyone enters. Having worked at Tummell for a fair few elections now we get to know most voters & have a good relationship with them, it might have something to do with the bowl of sweets I provide for them though.
At 10pm there are some 15 envelopes that I have to fill with all the different paperwork & make sure the accounts of voters balances, then take that all into Pitlochry where a council van collects all of it up from the area before taking it to the count. Then home to a hot bath relax for half an hour & crash out in bed.
During one of my breaks I took a few photos of the perimeter of the hall to show you what a lovely spot it is to work.
First is the hall itself, then the entrance.
Then to the side of the hall is the upper part of the River Tummell before it goes into the Loch, this is a very dangerous part of the river as it’s level is controlled by the hydro electric schemes & if water is discharged from the power station the water can rise really rapidly. In fact at this very spot a fisherman was drowned when the river rose & he got swept away by the current.
The next shot is one of the two power stations in the village. And finally, it wouldn’t be me if I did not include a bird in the post, so a very obliging Robin sitting waiting to have it’s photo taken.
