Smith & Ouzman Sponsors AEA Annual Conference 2009

Smith & Ouzman Ltd were proud sponsors of this year’s Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) 22nd Annual Conference and Exhibition, held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton from 8-11 February.

The Association of Electoral Administrators meet annually to discuss current issues affecting electoral administrators in the UK. The conference programme consisted of a series of plenary sessions on topics including protecting the integrity and security of the electoral system and a speech from keynote speaker Michael David Wills, Labour member of Parliament for Swindon North and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice.

With proven expertise in handling many security-sensitive and time-critical elections projects for clients in the UK and internationally, Smith & Ouzman exhibited a variety of its printed elections materials at the event. These included poll cards, ballot papers, postal voting packs, printed booklets and inserts, and a demonstration of the company’s automated telephone and internet registration service, which provides a quick, easy and accessible method of registration compatible with all mainstream electoral softwares.

Smith & Ouzman received a positive response at the event, registering enquiries from a number of local authorities and securing orders from Colchester Borough Council, Borough of Poole Council and London Borough of Wandsworth Council for poll cards and ballot papers.

The event culminated with a ‘Night at the Movies’ themed social evening where Smith & Ouzman sponsored and presented prizes for Stand up Bingo and Fancy Dress. Prizes included digital dictaphones, MP3 players, and champagne, with East Lincolnshire Council’s ‘Flintstones’ receiving a magnum of champagne for the Best Fancy Dress Team.

Smith & Ouzman also sponsored the AEA Annual Dinner and donated £250 of One4All Gift Vouchers – produced by Smith & Ouzman for The Gift Voucher Shop – as the main prize for the charity raffle.

In preparation for the European & County Council Elections in June, Smith & Ouzman is in close consultation with the Royal Mail and its existing client base to agree timetables, and in addition, has purchased another Pitney Bowes FX Mailing line, which will be operational to accommodate any extra demand for postal ballots.

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