Returning officer

The term Returning Officer means the person or institution that organizes and supervises the political elections.

Duties of the Returning Officer, in addition to organizing the management of the election committee, the examination of nominations and the potential in some countries drawing lots event of a tie. In some countries, the Returning Officer or the appropriate authority shall also the electoral roll.

Organizing the election authorities in various states

Germany

Federal elections be organized in Germany by the Federal Returning Officer, who is appointed by the Federal Minister of the Interior. The provinces have accordingly Land Returning Officer for nationwide elections. Traditionally, the office is filled by the president of the Federal Statistical Office and from the Governor of a State Statistical Offices. The head of a polling station is not referred to as returning officer, but as a presiding officer.

Austria

In Austria, elections are organized by electoral authorities, which are each formed anew for each election. At the federal level, this is the Federal Election Commission, the Presidency of the Minister of the Interior. At the lowest level, the Austrian returning officer equivalent to the German electoral officer.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, as in Germany, the heads of statistical offices of returning officers at cantonal and federal level.

Australia

In Australia elections by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to be organized, relevant authorities, there are also for the states. The AEC also manages the electoral roll ( commonwealth electoral roll ). Is headed by an AEC, the judge or former judge of the Federal Court ( Federal Court of Australia ) as Chairman, the Electoral Commissioner as well as a non-lawyers, usually the head of the Federal Statistical Office.

Ireland

For each of the constituencies by the Minister for the Environment and Local government (Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government ) appointed that there shall be a City or County Sheriff or County Registrar: In Ireland, the Returning Officer is ( Returning Officer German ).

Canada

In Canada, the Chief Electoral Officer elections are ( in Québec also Directeur général of élections ) organized, which is determined by the Parliament. He usually stays until reaching the age of 65 in office, he can be removed only after an indictment and a majority of each in the House and in the Senate from office.

United Kingdom

In the UK there is since 2001 an independent Electoral Commission ( dt: Electoral Commission ), monitored the elections and reported to Parliament. The returning officer for the electoral constituencies in England, Wales and Scotland the respective High Sheriff or comparable officials. In Northern Ireland, there is a Chief Electoral Officer, who shall be appointed by the local returning officer.

In Scotland, it was suggested that a Chief Returning Officer for Scotland own to determine to allocate the time shared responsibility for the registration of voters and the conduct of the elections.

Swell

• Suffrage