Statement of the Vote for a Voting Station
The
statement of the vote is a form on which results are written. The counting
official completes this form and includes each ballot box used for the election
in question at the voting station. In most cases, only one ballot box is used
for each type of election in a voting station, but due to large turnout or
large-sized ballot papers, more than one ballot box can be used for the very
same election in a voting station.
On the
statement of the vote for each election in a voting station the following
general information could be found:
- name, and if applicable the number, of the electoral
district;
- number of the ballot box;
- name, and if applicable the number, of the voting
station;
- whether the contents of several ballot boxes were added
(or merged) to this ballot box;
- date;
- signature of the counting officer.
Representatives of political parties and candidates
present at the counting table can also append
their signatures on the form, if part of the regulations.
Along with their signatures, the following information
should be found: printed names, addresses and telephone numbers. In case of any
investigations or complaints it will then be easier for the electoral
management body to locate and contact them.
Specific
information on the count should include:
- information found on the ballot account form completed at
the voting;
- number of ballots received at the opening of the election
from the electoral management body;
- number of spoiled ballots;
- number of unused ballots;
- the total number of voters who cast their vote on
election day according to the voter's list.
The following information should be added:
- number of valid ballots for each candidate;
- political party or candidate;
- number of rejected ballots;
- number of total valid ballots.
Additional detailed information - such as the serial
numbers of the seals on the ballot box or numbers of the ballot box itself - is
required to appear on the statement in some jurisdictions.
This form is an important document since it provides
the information used by the electoral management body to release the results.
The counting officer responsible for the processing of the ballot box(es) for
the voting station in questions should complete this form with utmost care.
Progress Report
Once all the ballot boxes for an electoral district
are counted, the person responsible for combining results for the counting
centre should prepare a progress report to be sent to the electoral management
body.
The progress report should contain the same
information as the statement of the vote for each ballot box, or consist of a
summary for the entire electoral district.
Cumulative Statement of the Vote for a Counting
Centre
Once the statement of the vote for a voting station is
completed, a copy is given to the person responsible for combining the results
for the counting centre. Each statement of the vote for each voting station
counted in the counting centre is included on this cumulative statement of the
vote for a counting centre. The same general information is needed:
- name, and number, of the electoral district;
- date;
- signature of the person in charge of the cumulative statement
of the vote;
- signatures of representatives of political parties and
candidates present.
The
figure for each voting station is reproduced on the cumulative statement of the
vote for a counting centre. Specific information could include the number of
the ballot box and the total number of valid ballots for each
candidate/political party/option; total number of rejected ballots; total
number of spoiled ballots; total number of valid ballots for each ballot box.
The total for each column is added, creating the cumulative statement of the
vote for the counting centre.
