Receiving Results from Several Counting Centres
The national office of the Electoral Management Body receives the results directly from the counting centres.
The person responsible for combining results from the counting centres will directly transmit the progress reports for each electoral district and the cumulative statement of the vote for the counting centre directly to the national office of the Electoral Management Body. For greatest efficiency, one general phone number or fax number should be used. It is important, however, that the phone and fax system be installed in such a way that the calls bounce to the next available device on that line. Adequate numbers of phones or fax machines to cope with peak demands should be installed.
A list of the identification codes or passwords associated with the various counting centres could be provided to the staff receiving the results. One team could take care of the incoming results and transmit information to the data entry person or the person in charge of combining all the results for the country. A spreadsheet or a board listing each electoral district should be prepared and completed as the results are received. Representatives of political parties/candidates/options as well as media should have access to this spreadsheet or board so they can observe the results as they come in.
Special measures should be taken to ensure that the same results are not given more than once. Numbering or creating unique codes for the electoral districts is a simple way to avoid such confusion. However, if such a measure is taken, it should be done at the beginning of the election process and this number should be used consistently on all forms used for the counting process. The use of such a number or code will also create an audit trail.
If a country is divided into several time zones, the results will come in at different times of the day to the national level (depending on the closing hour of the counting centres). The staff should be carefully scheduled to be available when needed.
In case of emergency, the head office of the Electoral Management Body should always be able to reach their counting centres, especially when results are coming in. If needed, a direct phone line can be set up within each counting centre so that the national Electoral Management Body will be able to reach the person in charge of combining the results at anytime.
'Special' Ballot Counts, Mobile and Advance Poll Counts
Special ballots are usually returned to the head office of the Electoral Management Body where a special counting centre is established. These results will then be reported to the central collection point separately, as in all other counting centres. Depending on the rules of the system used and the logistics in place, the ballots returned by mail might be accepted only five days prior to election day or right up until election day itself. If special ballots are accepted right until election day, counting procedures should be designed so the publication of results will not be delayed.
Depending on the deadline given to return the special ballots, the counting may start before election day, at the beginning of election day, or at the closing of the polls on election day. However, counting these ballots may take a long time depending on the volume of ballots to process and the procedures used. Counting special ballots before election day is common and generally recommended, but special security is necessary to ensure the results are released along with the results of ordinary polls.
The ballot boxes for advance polls are safely kept at the counting centre until the closing of ordinary polls on election day. The counting process for these ballots starts at the same time as for the ordinary polls and are virtually identical to the ones used for counting the votes of ordinary polls.
The counting of votes from mobile polling stations may take place at the counting centre and ballots are counted as any other ballots. These ballots should not be counted until the regular closing time of the polls on election day.
For all cases - advance polls, special ballots, mobile polling stations, etc. - if the count takes place a few days prior to election day, representatives of political parties/candidates/options should be present for the counting.
For the purposes of creating separate audit trails and for properly reporting the results of advance polls, mobile polling stations, and special ballots, these unique voting procedures should not be confused with ordinary polls. The difference should be made very clear with a distinctive statement of the vote forms used for these types of ballots.
Please refer to Absentee Voting and Voting Procedures for more information on these ballots.
