As the final votes in an election are cast on polling day, attention quickly turns to the result – who will be elected and when it will be announced.
Sometimes, a clear result can be known very quickly, but more often it takes time. Making sure the outcome is accurate and certain involves a series of processes carried out in stages.
This article explains what happens in the hours and days after polls close in a Tasmanian parliamentary election, to ensure every ballot paper is counted correctly.
At precisely 6:00 pm, ballot boxes are opened at polling places and election staff begin the first count of the ballot papers.
At this stage, they are sorted according to voters’ first preference, indicated by a 1 on the ballot paper. First-preference totals are recorded and provided to a central team for publication on the Tasmanian Electoral Commission’s (TEC) website, where they are updated throughout the evening.
Candidates can appoint scrutineers to observe this process, and other key stages throughout the counting period, providing independent oversight as votes are counted.
Not all ballot papers are counted on polling night. Postal votes and votes cast at a polling place outside a voter’s own division, for example, must undergo further checks and processing before they can be added to the count.
At the end of the night, once the first-preference count at each polling place has been completed, staff carefully package their election materials and return them to the TEC. Boxes are thoroughly checked and all ballot papers accounted for, ready for the next stage of work in the morning.
The day after polling day, work continues as ballot papers are checked and prepared for further counting. While results are not typically updated on the TEC website on this day, significant work is taking place behind the scenes.
A feature of Tasmania’s parliamentary elections is the ability for voters to fill out a ballot paper at any polling place in any division – and they can also vote by phone if they’re eligible. The process required to keep track of all ballot papers and ensure they are moved to the correct division is called the ‘declaration exchange’.
This is a meticulous and methodical stage that ensures every voter can be confident their ballot paper has been correctly accounted for, no matter where or how they cast their vote.
On this day, teams will also begin processing the electoral roll data captured on laptops at each polling place. This data includes the name of every elector and whether they have been ‘marked off’ the roll, to indicate they have voted. This process can take several days and must be completed before the counting of postal votes can commence.
By early Monday morning, ballot papers from other divisions will have arrived at the correct location, and counting can recommence.
The day typically begins with a count of telephone votes and votes cast outside a division. As each stage is completed, results are once again updated on the TEC website.
At this stage, ballot papers are checked twice to confirm first preferences have been correctly allocated to candidates.
Ballot papers are also reviewed to confirm they are valid for inclusion in the count. This is referred to as the ‘formality’ of a ballot paper, which is first assessed during the initial count and confirmed during rechecks.
To be counted (formal), a ballot paper must meet certain requirements. For example, preferences must be marked using numbers, a minimum number of preferences must be included, and the ballot paper must not contain any identifying information. Ballot papers that do not meet these requirements are considered ‘informal’ and set aside.
Rechecking continues into Tuesday, with any changes reflected on the TEC website.
Counting and the publication of results will again pause on Wednesday, as the large number of postal ballot packs received before polling day are processed.
Using electoral roll data that has now been extracted from polling place laptops, each ballot pack is registered in a database to confirm the elector has not already voted using another method. Identifying details are then separated from the outside of the secure envelope, so the ballot paper inside remains anonymous when it is later removed.
The largest count of postal votes will then commence on Thursday morning, with additional counts conducted as postal votes are received up to the deadline – 10 days after polling day.
While media outlets and election observers may comment on a likely outcome as counting progresses, the TEC continues counting until the result is mathematically certain.
If the outcome is clear after the first-preference count, the returning officer may formally declare the successful candidate. This is followed by the Declaration of the Poll ceremony.
If the result is not yet certain, counting moves to the next stage, known as the distribution of preferences. This is where voters’ additional preferences are used to determine the final result. This process continues in stages, with ballot papers transferred between candidates until the outcome is determined.
The time required to complete this step can vary, depending on how close the result is. In some cases, counting cannot be finalised until all postal votes have been received by the deadline. When this occurs, the result is usually declared shortly after.
From the moment polls close, counting follows a structured process, with each stage building on the last. From the first-preference count on election night, through the movement and checking of ballot papers, to the distribution of preferences, time is allowed for every valid vote to be received, checked and included.
While a likely outcome may emerge at any stage in this process, the result is only declared once it is certain, ensuring the final outcome accurately reflects the votes cast.