returning officer

American  

noun

British.

1. a public official appointed to conduct and preside at an election.

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returning officer British  

noun

1. (in Britain, Canada, Australia, etc) an official in charge of conducting an election in a constituency or electoral district, who supervises the counting of votes and announces the results

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Etymology

Origin of returning officer

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

returning officer

Following the election, it said it would "prepare a statutory report on all aspects of the Senedd election, including monitoring returning officer performance and making any necessary recommendations to the Welsh government".

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

Lawyers on behalf of the acting returning officer attended the hearing, but made no representations, and no other party was represented.

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026

Jean-Claude Nguyen, the returning officer in Nunavut, is responsible for conducting the election in the district.

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2025

It added that if only one person is nominated, the returning officer will confirm that person as party leader.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2024

The £10. householders are about 607; the returning officer is the mayor, who with two bailiffs, two aldermen, twenty-two common councilmen, and other officers form the corporation.

From Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11 Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set. by Dugdale, Thomas Cantrell