Counting Officer

Counting Officer — 2026 State Election Port Melbourne | Casual | $35.30 per hour | Nov – Dec 2026 | Extensive number of positions available 

 

Help count the votes at the 2026 State Election HOBAN Recruitment has partnered with a government organisation to deliver the 2026 State Election, and we are recruiting a very large team of Counting Officers. From election night through to mid-December, you will be part of the team that prepares, scans, counts and verifies ballot papers from across the state at a secure central processing facility in Port Melbourne.

It is accurate, methodical, closely supervised work with real consequence — the count has to be right. No previous election experience is needed. Full training is provided.

What you'll be doing

• Opening, sorting and preparing ballot papers — unfolding, flattening and batching them ready for scanning
  
  
• Feeding and monitoring high-speed scanning equipment under supervision, and clearing simple jams and misfeeds
  
  
• Reviewing and verifying scanned ballot paper images on screen against strict, clearly defined rules
  
  
• Counting, bundling and reconciling ballot papers, and recording figures accurately on tally sheets and systems
  
  
• Escalating unclear, damaged or informal ballot papers to your supervisor rather than making a call yourself
  
  
• Maintaining strict security and chain of custody over all ballot material at all times
  
  
• Working in small teams under the direction of an on-site supervisor, sometimes with scrutineers observing your work
  
  
• Completing site registration, check-in and check-out at the start and end of each shift
  
  

The assignment

• Assignment window: 28 November – 12 December 2026 (15 days), commencing on election day
  
  
• Approximately 9 shifts per worker across the window
  
  
• Day, afternoon and night shifts available; shifts are typically 8 hours and include weekends
  
  
• Location: Port Melbourne VIC
  
  
• Pay: $35.30 per hour , with shift penalties and overtime paid in line with the applicable Award/Agreement
  
  
• Induction and training provided before your first shift
  
  
• You must be available for the full assignment window and accept the roster you are offered
  
  

  GETTING TO SITE — PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING

There is NO parking at the site. You must not drive to, or attempt to park at, it.

A free shuttle bus runs between Southern Cross Station and the site for every shift. You are strongly advised to use it. Public transport to Southern Cross, then the shuttle, is the intended way to get to work. Taxi or rideshare directly to site is the only other option.

Shuttle travel time sits OUTSIDE your rostered start and finish times and is not paid. Please factor this into your travel planning before accepting a roster.

  What we're looking for

• Strong attention to detail — accuracy matters more than speed, and small errors have big consequences
  
  
• The ability to concentrate on repetitive, detail-focused tasks for extended periods without losing accuracy
  
  
• Reliability — turning up, on time, for every shift you accept is the single most important thing in this role
  
  
• The ability to follow detailed procedures exactly as trained, and to ask rather than assume
  
  
• Good basic numeracy and confidence with simple counting and reconciliation
  
  
• Comfort using a computer and on-screen verification tools (training provided)
  
  
• Integrity, discretion and absolute confidentiality — you will be handling secure electoral material and must remain impartial
  
  
• The physical capacity to sit or stand at a workstation for a full shift, with repetitive hand and arm movement, and to lift ballot boxes and trays of up to approximately 10kg
  
  
• Data entry, processing, administration, warehouse, retail or hospitality experience is well regarded but not essential
  
  

Essential requirements

• National Police Check: every worker on this assignment must complete a National Police Check and receive a satisfactory result before they can be placed on site. HOBAN will arrange this as part of onboarding — you cannot start without it.
  
  
• Full availability: you must be available across the entire 28 November – 12 December 2026 window, including election day, the following weekend and evenings.
  
  
• Right to work: you must have valid working rights in Australia. Australian citizens, permanent residents, New Zealand citizens and visa holders are all welcome to apply — including student, working holiday, bridging, partner and other temporary visas — provided your visa allows you to do this work. We will confirm your visa conditions with you and roster you within them. You will need to provide evidence of your working rights.
  
  
• Age: you must be 18 years or older.
  
  
• Transport: you must be able to get to and from Port Melbourne via the free shuttle, public transport, taxi or rideshare. There is no parking at site.
  
  
• Training: you must attend induction and training before your first shift.
  
  

Why work with HOBAN

• Weekly pay, every week
  
  
• A dedicated HOBAN consultant supporting you for the length of the assignment
  
  
• A genuinely unique experience — very few people get to be part of counting a state election
  
  
• Full training provided, no prior experience required
  
  
• Visa holders welcome — short, shift-based work that fits around student, working holiday and other temporary visa conditions, and around the summer study break
  
  
• Ongoing opportunities with HOBAN once the election wraps up
  
  

How to apply Click APPLY NOW and complete the short application. Successful applicants will be contacted for a phone screen, followed by onboarding, police check and induction. This is a very large recruitment campaign with a hard start date — apply early.

HOBAN Recruitment is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, mature-age workers, visa holders and people of all genders. If you require an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply.

 


At HOBAN we encourage applications from people with disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, people of all genders, LGBTI people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We provide reasonable adjustments; including alternate formats to the recruitment process for individuals with disability. If you require an adjustment to be made during the recruitment process, please email our Adjustments Coordinator at adjustments@hoban.com.au or visit www.hoban.com.au/adjustments for additional contact details.