Site MenuSelf-training workbook: Information Officer
Counting ballots
On election night, you will play an important part in counting the ballots after polls close. Advance poll ballots are not counted until election night.
For the count, a CPS will match you with a DRO. The CPS may ask you to help with other things while you wait, but when the DRO is ready to count, you will join them to help.
Normally your role will be to keep a tally of the votes as the DRO examines and sorts each marked ballot. The person who keeps the tally (probably you!) is called the Recorder. The DRO themselves is usually the Counter.
Review the instructions for Supporting the counting of ballots in your guidebook. That section includes the instructions for the counter so that you can understand what's happening.
Prepare the things you will need for the next activity:
- Cut out the Tally Sheet. You will use it to practice recording votes.
- Find a full deck of standard playing cards (54 total, including 2 jokers).
Ask another person to help you with the next activity!
Activity: Counting
For this activity, you will need a full deck of cards. Shuffle the cards to make the activity more interesting! Imagine that the cards are marked ballots. The suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades) are candidates and the jokers are rejected ballots.
- Write the "names" of the candidates – their suits, one per column – across the top of the tally sheet. Write "Rejected" in the last column.
- Turn over one card at a time. You can have someone else do this if you like. They are the 'Counter'. They should say the suit out loud as they turn over each card.
- When the suit is stated, make a mark in the first empty box of the matching column on the tally sheet. The counter then places the card in a pile with other cards of the same suit, or jokers.
- This process continues until all the cards are sorted. The Recorder makes a mark in a box below the candidates name each time the suit is called.
When it's finished you should have 13 cards in each pile and 13 boxes marked under each candidates name on the tally sheet. There should be 2 cards in the rejected pile and 2 boxes marked in the rejected column. It's as easy as that!
If your tally sheet has less than 54 marks, you might need to try again, or buy a new deck of cards!
When counting ballots there are usually more ballots and the piles are usually of different sizes.
You must stay with the DRO, and can help as needed, until the Statement of the Vote is completed. After that, the CPS might ask you to help with other things.
Congratulations!
You have completed the workbook. Let your training officer know that you have completed it so that you can set up a time for them to call you.