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. We do this by a combination of interviews with key election officials as well as in-person observations of elections, such as attending polling stations and the counting process.
On May 7th 2026, we will be deploying around 200 voluntary observers, accredited by the Electoral Commission, to observe the elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Parliament, and local authorities across England including London.
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 your designated area (this will be within your city’s wider area) and visiting polling stations with a partner, in order to help us collect data on a wide variety of subjects. Don’t worry: This will all be explained in depth at a training and deployment event taking place in the week prior to polling day. Election observation is a great way to learn more about the democratic process in action, learn more about electoral standards in the UK and contribute to civil society!
Key things to consider before applying are:
- You must be available all day from 6:45am until 10:15pm 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.
- Have a positive mental attitude.
- Be able to follow the training provided and accurately record data.
- Be available for a training and deployment session in your area scheduled to take place in the week prior to the election (More details will be given nearer the deployment)
- The total number of anticipated hours including training and observing is approximately 20 - 30 hours.