an official who is responsible for conducting elections
Cabinet appoints one Returning Officer for each of the 52 electoral districts in Nova Scotia. The Returning Officer is responsible for the conduct of elections in their electoral district. Under urgent circumstances, the Chief Electoral Officer can also appoint Returning Officers.
The person appointed by the Chief Electoral Officer for a general electorate or a Maori electorate to conduct a General election, by-election or referendum in that electorate. See also: polling place, return of election expenses, scrutiny of the roll.
The returning officer is also the registrar and secretary of the University. S/he is responsible for referendums and elections held by a cross-campus ballot and shall insures there validity. If there is a question relating to the validity of election they investigate and rule on that question.
In the United Kingdom, a Returning Officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.
