The
voting station statement of the votes is the legal document based on which
results are tabulated and final results announced, once verified by the EMB
centrally. The presiding officer normally completes this form. One statement of
the votes form should be filled out per voting station, even in the case of
voting locations housing multiple voting stations.
The
statement of the votes form could include the following general information:
- the name of the electoral district,
- the number or name of the voting station,
- the date, and
- the signatures of the counting officer, or presiding
officer. Representatives of political parties and candidates sometimes also
write their signatures on the form.
Specific information on the count should include:
- number of ballots received at the opening of voting from
the electoral management body,
- number of spoiled ballots,
- number of unused ballots,
- number of valid ballots for each candidate and political
party,
- number of rejected ballots,
- total number of valid ballots, and
- total number of voters who voted on election day
according to the voter's list.
It may be necessary to look at the voting record book as some
jurisdictions authorize registration of voters on voting day, and these may be
added using the voting record book. Other jurisdictions use separate forms.
Additional detailed information, such as the serial numbers of the seals
on the ballot box, or of the ballot box itself, is required in some
jurisdictions.
In
several jurisdictions, this form is an important document since it provides the
information used by the electoral management body to release both interim and
final results. The counting officers responsible for the counting should
complete this form with utmost care.
In
order to reduce the risk of tampering with the statement of votes form, EMBs
can utilize tamper-resistant forms, and require that results be written both
numerically and in words. Sometimes, wide, clear adhesive tape is stuck over
the filled-in sections of the forms to prevent tampering.
