Deputy Returning Officer & Poll Clerk Guidebook– Ordinary Poll

COUNTING THE BALLOTS

This section explains the steps to take before and during the count, and how to complete the Statement of the Vote.

What should be on my desk to count ballots?

Before you do this, make sure you have completed the steps for:

☑ Close the polling station at night

Start with a clear table. Gather the following items together and organize them using them the diagram:

• Both: EC 50060 Events Log
• Both: EC 50250 Ballot Box
• Both: EC 50340 This guidebook
• Both: List of Electors
• Both: Plastic bag with counterfoils
• Both: Blue pen

You will need these items from Closing Supplies Kit EC 50477 (found inside Ordinary Poll Bag EC 50500):

• EC 50440 Envelope: Rejected Ballots
• EC 50450 Envelope: Ballots Cast for a Candidate – one for each candidate
• EC 50090 Tally Sheet

  Put all other materials aside

Text version of "What should be on my desk to count ballots"

Get ready to count the ballots

Before you do this, make sure you have completed the steps for:

☑ What should be on my desk to count ballots?

1. Clerk: Pre-fill ED, polling station number and candidate names on:
   • EC 50440 Envelope: Rejected Ballots
   • EC 50450 Envelope: Ballots Cast for a Candidate
   • EC 50090 Tally Sheet

   Note on your copy only, write the names of each candidate in the order that they appear on the Statement of the Vote EC 50100. Use the last column for tallying rejected ballots

2. Clerk: Get either candidates, or their representatives, or 2 electors, or 2 election officers to witness you count the ballots

   Note election officers who act as witnesses must be 18 years or older

3. Clerk: Give a blank Tally Sheet EC 50090 to any candidate or representative

1. DRO: If space allows, lay out each envelope below. During the count, you will place each marked ballot on it
   • EC 50450 Envelope: Ballots Cast for a Candidate — one for each candidate
   • EC 50440 Envelope: Rejected Ballots — for rejected ballots
2. DRO: Review
   • What ballot marks are acceptable?
   • DRO’s initials in Log of poll workers – Events Log (page 2-3) EC 50060
3. Both: Follow steps to count the ballots — How do I count the ballots?

How do I count the ballots?

Before you do this make sure you have completed the steps for:

☑ Get ready to count the ballots

DRO: Review steps 1-6 together before you start

1. DRO: Unseal top of ballot box
2. DRO: Take one ballot out of the ballot box and make sure DRO initials and PD of the polling station are on the back

   Note if initials are not yours, compare initials on ballots with the initials of previous DROs on Log of poll workers – Events Log (page 2-3) EC 50060

3. DRO: Unfold the ballot and say out loud which candidate is marked. Show it to everyone present
4. DRO: Put the ballot in its appropriate pile
5. Clerk: On Tally Sheet EC 50090, each time the DRO calls out a candidate’s name, put a mark under that name. If the DRO rejects a ballot, put a mark in the rejected column
6. Both: Repeat steps 2-5 until every ballot has been placed in a pile
7. Both: Make sure there are no ballots left in the box (check under flaps). Show it to everyone present. Set the box aside
8. Both: Write the totals in each column of the Tally Sheet EC 50090
9. Both: Sum the totals, and verify that it matches the Total from line 3 of the Last Page of the List (the number of Voted ticks)

   If the totals do not match:

   • review your Log of Notable Events - Events Log (page 8-11) EC 50060 for any notes that may explain the difference
   • count each candidate's pile again and compare each total to the PC's Tally Sheet EC 50090
   • count the rejected ballots again and compare total to the PC's Tally Sheet EC 50090

   If they still do not match, refer to Problems with balancing to see if you can explain the difference, and inform your CPS

10. DRO: On each envelope, write the total number of ballots or “NIL” if none
11. DRO: Put each pile of ballots inside its appropriate envelope. Leave the envelopes open
12. Both: Complete the Statement of the Vote EC 50100

Situations During the Count

The counterfoil is still attached

1. DRO: Don’t unfold the ballot
2. DRO: Hide serial number
3. DRO: Remove counterfoil, tear it up and put inside Plastic bag for counterfoils
4. DRO: Put the ballot back in the ballot box

The initials and/or the PD on the back of the ballot are missing or incorrect

It is up to the DRO to determine and be satisfied that this ballot was issued at your polling station, either by yourself, or in the case where another election officer issued ballots, by them.

A witness objects to your decision about any ballot

1. DRO: Hear their explanation, and then make your final decision
2. DRO: Record the objection in Log of objections to ballots - Events Log (page 12-13) EC 50060
3. DRO: Write the number of the log entry on the back of the ballot concerned

What ballot marks are acceptable?

Use these guidelines to determine whether to accept or reject a marked ballot paper.

The DRO must accept a ballot paper if it is marked:

• in one (and only one) circular space to the right of the name of the candidate
• with an "X" or other mark made with any writing instrument as long as the DRO is satisfied the mark or writing instrument is not so distinctive that it could be used to identify an elector

The DRO must reject a ballot if:

• it is marked in more than one of the circular spaces
• it is not marked in any of the circular spaces
• it contains a mark that the DRO considers could be used to identify an elector

Text version of "Samples of marked ballot papers"

How do I complete Statement of the Vote?

Before you complete this document, you must have completed the steps for:

☑ How do I count the ballots?

Text version of "Statement of the Vote form"

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