Combined Authority and Combined County Authority Returning Officer guidance for Combined Authority Mayoral elections

You must calculate the following:1  

• Where there are two candidates: 
  • the total number of votes cast for each candidate
  • the total number of rejected votes and the number of rejected ballot papers categorised by reason for rejection
• Where there are three or more candidates:
  • the total number of first preference votes cast for each candidate
  • the total number of rejected votes and the number of rejected ballot papers categorised by reason for rejection, 
    and whether or not a candidate is elected because they have an overall majority of the first preference votes
• If no candidate is elected after the first count:
  • the total number of second preference votes cast for each candidate remaining in the contest
  • the total number of votes rejected at the second count
  • and the total number of both first and second preference votes cast for each candidate remaining in the contest

Re-calculation of the result - first count

As soon as you have calculated the result of the first count (or the result of the count at an election with only two candidates), you must inform the election agents who are present of the totals you have calculated and give them the opportunity to satisfy themselves that your calculations are accurate.2

Election agents may request that you recalculate the totals.3 You may refuse such a request if you consider it to be unreasonable.4  

Re-calculation of the result - second count

As soon as you have calculated the result of the second count, you must inform the election agents of the candidates remaining in the contest who are present of the totals you have calculated and give them the opportunity to satisfy themselves that your calculations are accurate.5

Those election agents may request that you recalculate the totals.6 You may refuse such a request if you consider it to be unreasonable.7

Recounts

Candidates, election agents and those counting agents who have been specifically authorised to request a recount may request that the local RO recounts the votes at the conclusion of the counting of votes. No other counting agents or persons attending the count can request a recount. The local RO may refuse such a request if they consider it to be unreasonable.8  

Any protocol you have produced for how local ROs should communicate with you during the verification and count processes should include details of what they should do in the case of a request for a recount: for example, you may want to ask local ROs to inform you of all requests they receive for a recount or you could ask to be consulted where they are considering refusing a recount request.

You may direct an individual local RO to recount the votes for a particular constituent council area, but should only do so if you have reason to doubt the accuracy of the counting of votes in that constituent council area.9