How the count works: overview
The count involves important integrity checks to ensure that the whole process has been secure and can be trusted so that the elector has confidence in the result. At the count, all of the ballot papers – unused, spoiled and those in the ballot boxes are counted and reconciled.
At this election ballot papers will be counted manually. The count process is described on this page. There is a flowchart below tht illustrates the process.
Postal vote ballot boxes
Postal vote ballot boxes will already be in the counting hall ready for the start of verification at 10.00pm. One will be allocated to each table so that work can commence as soon as polls close. These ballot papers will already have been unfolded and put into bundles during the postal vote processing stage.
A final box of postal votes for each constituency will be delivered from the postal vote processing area upstairs once all postal votes received at polling places and from the final Royal Mail delivery have been processed.
Delivery of ballot boxes from polling stations
Ballot boxes from polling stations will start to arrive after the close of poll. Due to the spread of polling places around the city it may take some time until all the boxes are received.
Each ballot box has a unique identifying number and will be checked in on arrival as it is removed from the van. The seals on the box will also be checked to ensure that it has not been tampered with.
Unused ballot papers
A team of staff at tables in the centre of each count area will take the unused ballot papers from the blue crate which has come from the polling place and count the unused papers. These staff will join the counting tables once this task is complete.
At the start of the count, Returning Officer staff will reconcile the ballot papers that were held in reserve for contingency purposes. Candidates and agents are welcome to observe this process in each count hall.
The count stages overview
There are two distinct stages to the counting process, with a short staff break in between:
Verification or “first count”
At this stage, we account for all the ballot papers, those issued to voters (both Postal Votes and those papers issued at polling stations), any spoilt and unused papers. This stage is crucial as it checks that all ballot papers are properly accounted for.
The verification stage gives the number of votes cast in each constituency and allows the Returning Officer to announce the turnout figures and percentage poll. Verification also tells us how many ballot papers are in the Ballot Boxes.
The counting of votes or “second count”
When verification is complete we are then able to sort the ballot papers into piles for each candidate and any rejected papers.
If we add up the total for each candidate and any rejects it should reconcile with the number in the ballot box that was found at verification.
Once all of the valid votes and any rejected votes have been added together and checked against the total number of ballot papers from the first stage of the count, the Returning Officer (RO) will share the provisional result with candidates and their agents.
At this point, a candidate or their agent can ask for a recount of the votes. The RO can refuse the request if they think it is unreasonable. After consulting the candidates and agents and after any recount, the RO will announce the votes cast for all candidates and declare the candidate with most votes as elected to be the MP for the constituency.
Announcements
PA announcements will be made during the count
- start of the first count (opening of ballot boxes)
- arrival of ballot boxes from polling stations
- arrival of the final ballot boxes from polling stations
- start of the second count for each constituency (separating the papers for each candidate)
- arrival of the final postal vote ballot box for each constituency
- briefing for candidates and their election agent of the verification totals for each constituency
- turnout for each constituency
- commencement of the adjudication of doubtful ballot papers for each constituency
- announcement of the result of each constituency.
The count process – further detail
Verification / the “first count”
This is where the number of votes cast in each constituency is found by counting how many papers are in the boxes. At the same time the unused papers returned from polling stations are checked so that we can account for all of the papers issued.
The process
- The ballot box team will allocate a ballot box of papers to each table.
- The ballot box is opened and emptied onto the table. The empty box is shown to everyone present.
- The ballot box label is placed in a stand on the table so that observers can see which polling station it has come from.
- The number of votes in the box is counted and should match the number recorded by the Presiding Officer as having been issued at the polling station.
- Where they don’t, the count team will be asked to recount the ballot papers until the numbers match or until the same number of ballot papers is arrived at twice in a row.
- Once the number of papers found is accepted, the papers are put into the clear plastic box for that table.
- The papers remain at that table throughout the rest of the count. Each counting table retains the papers they have counted until the second count is complete.
Verification reports
The count manager will prepare a verification statement for each constituency. This is a record of how every ballot paper is accounted for, whether used (put in the ballot box by the voter), spoilt or unused. For each box the report will show how many papers were allocated to the station, how many were spoilt and how many were used by voters.
The total number used and found across all the boxes will allow the count manager to calculate the turnout figure and percentage. Because the report deals with all the papers in the constituency the full report may not be available until late in the progress of the count after the final box of postal votes has been processed.
Once the papers from all of the ballot boxes have been verified the work in the constituency will stop to allow the staff to have a short break.
The turnout percentage will be announced by the RO. He will announce how many votes have been cast in the constituency and what percentage of the electorate this is.
The counting of votes - the “second count”
At this stage the count assistants sort the papers by candidate. After the sorting is complete, count teams will count the number of votes cast for each candidate.
The process
- Staff at each counting table take the papers from their clear plastic box and sort them into piles for different candidates and a pile for any doubtful papers.
- The pile for each candidate is sorted into bundles of 50 papers and odds (ie the remainder).
- Once there are sufficient papers sorted, some count assistants will be allocated the task of checking the sorting and counting of votes for each candidate. When count assistants check the sorting, they will do so by transferring papers from an unchecked bundle to a checked bundle one paper at a time. This should allow counting agents to observe fully and have confidence that papers have been allocated to the correct candidate.
- The total number of papers for each candidate will be added up. The total number of papers will be reconciled with the number of papers that were found at the verification stage.
- Bundles will be recounted if the number does not agree.
- There is no "counted papers table" at this election.
Adjudication of doubtful papers
Ballot papers that are not marked with a clear ‘X’ in the box next to a candidate are doubtful papers as it is not immediately obvious what the intention of the voter may be. As long as the intention of the voter is clearly apparent, the vote can be accepted as valid and be counted.
If it is not possible to work out the voter’s intention the ballot paper is rejected and marked with the reason for the rejection. These are called ‘rejected’ votes. Only the RO or a count manager acting as the RO’s depute will reject a ballot paper.
Copies of the doubtful votes placemat produced by the Electoral Commission will be placed on party tables in the counting halls, in the candidate and agent lounge and in the café. This guidance is also available from the Electoral Commission website
- doubtful ballot paper booklet (UK Parliamentary elections)
- doubtful ballot paper placemat (UK Parliamentary elections).
Count supervisors have been briefed on the Electoral Commission doubtful votes guidance and will use this to decide if a paper is good and can be included in the count. They are able to decide a paper is good if the intention of the voter is clear.
Count supervisors have been instructed to show such papers to any counting agents nearby to get their agreement. If there is any disagreement, then the count supervisor will put the paper aside to be adjudicated by the count manager or the RO.
Count assistants have been told that a paper can be accepted as good if a tick has been used instead of a cross in the voting box.
Each count manager will adjudicate any remaining doubtful votes towards the end of the second count. Five minutes’ notice of the start of the adjudication will be announced over the public address system. The adjudication will be announced once only. It is the responsibility of candidates and their election agents to ensure that they are present at adjudications. Only the candidate and/or the election agent can be present at the adjudication.
If it is not possible for the RO or count manager to work out the voter’s intention the ballot paper is rejected and marked with the reason for the rejection. These are called ‘rejected’ votes. The RO decision is final but any objections by candidates or their election agent will be recorded.
Provisional briefing of results
Once all of the valid votes and any rejected votes have been added together and checked against the total number of ballot papers from the first stage of the count, the count manager or RO will share the provisional result with candidates and their election agents and informally consult with them to confirm that they are happy with the way the count has been conducted.
Recount
At this point, candidates and or their election agents can ask for a recount of the votes if there any concerns about the accuracy of the count. However, any such concerns should be raised during the count process, so they can be resolved at the time. The RO can refuse the request if he thinks it is unreasonable and his decision is final.
Should a recount be agreed, the RO will discuss with the candidates concerned how the counting agents for that constituency will be enabled to clearly view the proceedings.
