Returning officer

In various parliamentary systems, a Returning Officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.

In England and Wales the post of Returning Officer is an honorary one, held by the High Sheriff of the county, and in practice the job is delegated to an Acting Returning Officer, who is usually a senior officer in the local authority. Returning Officers in the United Kingdom normally announce the results in the following manner:

I, name, the Acting Returning Officer for the name of seat, hereby give notice that the total number of votes given for each candidate at the election of date was as follows, list of candidates and the number of votes received. And that name of winning candidate(s) has been duly elected to name of democratic body for name of seat (as name of office).

In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office full-time, and oversees elections in their division.

In the Republic of Ireland, the post of Returning Officer in Dublin is held by the City Sheriff, and in other constituencies by the City or County Manager — the chief administrative officer of the local authority.

In Hong Kong, the returning officer is usually a judge.

Germany has a Federal Returning Officer.

See also

• Election judge
• Chief Electoral Officer (Canada)
• Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec