The Count
After the
polls have closed you and your team will check your unused knocking-up
sheets, look at the list of unfulfilled promises and probably have a
pretty good idea whether you have won or not.
At this
time you, if you are the candidate should probably have a shower, possible
a shave (if you are male) put your best outfit on and head off to the
count.
The important
thing to remember is that the count is an important part of the proceedings
and is not just so that the mayor or returning officer can make the
result announcement and everyone can claim to have done better than
expected.
There are
two jobs for you and your team to do at the count. They are 'Vote Validation'
and 'Ballot Counting'.
Ballot
Counting
The returning
officer's staff first count the number of ballot papers in each ballot
box to make sure that the number of ballots they gave out in the polling
station equates to the number of votes cast. They normally do this with
the ballot papers face down, although I have seen it done face up. You
can usually see the impression of the 'X' through the paper.
It is at
this point that you conduct your 'Ballot Counting'.
Ballot
Counting in its simplest form involves having a pencil and a piece of
paper and ticking the paper in 5 bar gates each time you see a vote
for your candidate counted. You can also use columns for each candidate
or party and try to do this or all parties to see who did well or badly
in any particular polling district.
This is
the only chance you have to break your vote down to the level of each
polling district and it is only intended to be indicative. You cannot
validate any of the figures you collect this way so use them as a rough
guide only. Where it is useful is in estimating support in polling districts
which you may not have canvassed, or not canvassed completely. Assuming
you will stand again if unsuccessful the first time the Ballot Counting
figures may suggest a more favourable ward to stand in at a Council
Election.
Vote
Validation is carried out by the returning officer together
with the Agents for all the candidates, so if you have an Agent this
is their job alone.
To explain
Vote Validation I have to explain that the process of voting involves
putting a 'X' in a box next to the name of your preferred candidate.
It sounds simple enough and most people manage to do itbut there are
always a small number of ballots where for a host of reasons it is not
absolutely certain how the voter intended to vote. These can be due
to putting something other than an 'X' on the paper, putting the 'X'
on the line between boxes, or too close to the line for certainty, or
frquently voting more often than they are supposed to. In multi-member
council election it has been known for multiple votes to be sqeezed
into the box of one candidate.
These uncertain
votes arre pulled out by the Returning Officers staff and considered
by the Returning Officer and the Agents who can decide that a vote is
a spoiled ballot or return it to the count as a vote for a particular
candidate if that is their decision. In close elections this can decide
who wins so ensure your Agent is prepared to fight your corner.
Continue
to Post Election Party....