At the
opening of voting, ballots (and envelopes where applicable) received from the
electoral management body are counted, and corresponding figures written in the
ballot paper account form.
At the
closing of voting, the first thing to do before sorting and counting the
ballots is to count the numbers of used counterfoils (as applicable) and unused
envelopes (as applicable), unused ballots, and spoiled ballots. At this stage,
the ballot box remains closed.
This
total number of ballots should balance with the number of ballots received at
the opening, which is why is important to record all the voting information and
materials before and after the process starts. Verification with the number of
voters who voted on election day/s should also be done using the marked-up
voter's list, and the entries in the voting record book.
It is
important that accurate records are kept of the number of ballots used at each
voting station. This will enable the electoral management body to demonstrate
that all ballots used at each voting station are genuine and that ballots have
nor been fraudulently deposited in ballot boxes or removed from the voting
station.
Discrepancies
If
there are discrepancies in the reconciliation process, the count should be
repeated by verifying the observations made in the voting record book for the
spoiled ballots, and recounting the unused ballots and the used counterfoils
(if applicable).
If
discrepancies remain, then verification with a higher authority (with the
district electoral officer or the electoral management body) of the number of
ballots (and envelopes) sent to the voting station should be done to verify
their figures and to inform them of the situation. Keeping higher authorities
informed of any problem is part of the transparency required in an election or
any electoral event.
If no
solution is found, modifications or changes to the voting record book, ballot
account forms, count sheets, and statement of the vote forms should be
completed in order to reflect the appropriate numbers of ballots. To validate
these new figures, and to make sure that everybody who should know is informed
of the situation and agrees with it, voting station and counting officers,
party and candidate representatives, present at the voting station for the vote
count should sign the forms and the voting record book.
Once
this first reconciliation is done, the counting officer will verify if the seal
is still unbroken and if the serial number is the same as the one recorded at
the opening of the voting station. If locks are used, then the person in charge
should ask the person with a set of keys to assist in the opening of the ballot
box.
This
information should be written in the voting record book. The ballot box is then
opened and the contents emptied onto a table. These ballots (or envelopes) are
counted as well, and compared to figures obtained earlier.
The
number of ballots (or envelopes) in the ballot box should match with the number
of voters who voted, a number that can be obtained by counting the number of
counterfoils as applicable (number of ballots used), unused ballots less the
number of spoiled ballots. There should be another reconciliation after the
count of the ballots for each candidate/party/option in order to verify that
all figures total correctly before making the statement of the vote for the
voting station.
In case
of discrepancies, the counting process should be repeated ones or twice until
the missing ballot or ballots - or an explanation for the discrepancy - are
found.
If,
after verification, the missing ballots are still not found, then the electoral
management body should be informed of the problem, and verification of their
ballot accounts should be done (especially verification of the number of
ballots sent to the voting station). Once again, if no solution is found, appropriate changes should be made on the forms
signed by counting officers and party and candidate representatives. This new
figure should become the official one for the voting station.
In some
jurisdictions, counting of ballots which cannot be reconciled, or which are not
within a certain acceptable variation (i.e. difference is not more than two,
three or five ballots), legislation, regulations, or directives may prohibit
proceeding with the count. If significant discrepancies are discovered, local
rules could apply to the level of action taken.
In some
cases, if significant fraud is suspected, it may be necessary to delay opening
and counting the contents of a ballot box until the electoral management body
investigates the problem and decides what to do with the ballot box. Voting
station and counting officers should be made aware of these provisions through
their training.
In the
case of multiple elections held on the same day, such as presidential elections,
municipal elections, and legislative assembly elections, finding ballots in the
wrong box is a frequent occurrence. In such cases, the counting officer should
transfer the ballot to the appropriate box, reconcile all the ballots, and make
a report for each case. This should be followed by a reconciliation count of
the ballots and, if no discrepancy is found, the counting officer can proceed
with the count.
