The Returning Officer will confirm the locations of the count venues as soon as possible after an election is called.
The Returning Officer must take reasonable steps to have completed the reconciliation of the ballot papers and begun counting the votes as soon as practicable within four hours of the close of poll.
Where this doesn’t happen in practice – for example, as a result of higher-than-expected turnout levels, queues in polling stations at close of poll, or the particular geography of a constituency – the Chief Electoral Officer must report this to the Commission.
While it is important that a count is timely, it is also important that the count produces an accurate result that everyone can have confidence in.
A count information pack will be made available to candidates detailing the count venue and processes that will be followed.