The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland

The main duties of the Chief Electoral Officer are:

to act as electoral registration officer for all constituencies in Northern Ireland; to act as returning officer for all elections and referendums in Northern Ireland; to recommend to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by 16 April each year whether or not a registration canvass should be conducted; to act as an assessor to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland; to act as an assessor to the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner; and to lead and manage EONI.

The CEO is required to report to the Secretary of State on an annual basis on how he has discharged his functions and the extent to which the relevant registration objectives in Northern Ireland have been met.