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

First count

Each local RO must count the first preference votes given for each candidate in their area.1  

When counting is complete, the local RO must share the provisional figures with the candidates and agents present.2

Once the candidates and agents have had the opportunity to request a recount (and any recount has been completed), the local RO must draw up a statement of local totals including:3

• the number first preference votes cast for each candidate
• the total number of rejected ballot papers, and 
• statement of rejected ballot papers categorised by reason for rejection

Each local RO must, as soon as practicable inform you of the contents of the statement of local totals.4  

Once you have been informed of the contents of the statement, you can, if necessary direct the local RO to recount the votes.5

The local RO can give public notice of the local totals, once you have authorised them to do so.6

You must collate all the local totals for the combined authority area received from local ROs and ascertain whether any candidate has received more than half of the first preference votes.7 If not, you must instruct local ROs to conduct a count of second preference votes.8

You must share the figures with the election agents who are present at the collation and must give them a reasonable opportunity to satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the calculation.9 An election agent may request a re-calculation but you may refuse to do so if in your opinion the request is unreasonable.10  

If a candidate has an overall majority of first preference votes you must declare the result.11

Second count

If no candidate has an overall majority of first preference votes you must determine which candidates are to be eliminated from the contest and instruct local ROs to count the second preference votes for the candidates remaining in the contest. The top two candidates (or more if there is a tie) will remain in the contest whilst the rest are eliminated.12

Each local RO must count the relevant second preference votes in their area for the candidates remaining in the contest.13 When counting is complete, the local RO must share the provisional figures with the candidates and agents present.14 Once the candidates and agents have had the opportunity to request a recount15 (and any recount has been completed), the local RO must add the number of second preference votes for each remaining candidate to the number of first preference votes for those candidates to produce the total number of votes for each candidate remaining in the contest. 

The local RO must drawn up a statement of local totals including:16

• the number of first preference votes for each candidate
• the number of second preference votes for each remaining candidate
• the total number of votes for each of the remaining candidates
• the total number of ballot papers that were valid as respects a first preference vote given for a candidate who did not remain in the contest after the count of the first preference votes
• the total number of rejected ballot papers in respect of the second preference votes, categorised by reason for rejection

Each local RO must inform you, as soon as practicable, of the contents of the statement of the local totals.17

As soon as you have received all final local statements for the combined authority area, you must calculate the total number of votes given for each candidate in the combined authority or combined county authority area.18

You must share the figures with the election agents who are present at the collation and must give them a reasonable opportunity to satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the calculation.

An election agent may request a re-calculation but you may refuse to do so if in your opinion the request is unreasonable.19  

Once the agents have had the opportunity to check the figures (and any re-calculation has been completed) you must:

• declare the candidate who has the greatest total number of first and second preference votes in total returned as CAM/CCAM20
• if, after the collating the results, the remaining candidates have an equal number of first and second preference votes in total, you must decide by lots which of them is to be returned21
• you must declare the results22

For more information about the processes you need to follow after the declaration of the result, including giving public notice of the result see our guidance on after the election.