To
count the ballots, the counting officer can use a count sheet. The
representatives of political parties and candidates and observers may have a
count sheet as well. The official one is the one used by the counting officer.
The
proper information regarding the ballot box number and the constituency or
electoral district should be written in at the top or bottom of the form. In
each column, the names of each candidate or party as they appear on the ballot
should be written.
There
are two usual types of count sheet: one where each square represents a vote for
a candidate or party and one where square is drawn with a diagonal mark denoting
five votes
For the
first one, each square may be marked for each vote for a candidate or party. At
the end, the total for each will be easy to count. For the second, four
vertical marks and one diagonal one are made. Each completed square equals five
votes for a candidate or party.
Establishing
correlation between count sheets requires a pause for consensus as to how many
votes are recorded per candidate or party at certain set times (every 100
ballots for example).
Restarting
the count at the last point of correlation is much more efficient than
beginning the entire count. Whichever
agreements are reached in the counting process must be clear for all
individuals present before the counting starts.
