Guidance for the GLRO administering the GLA elections

As GLRO, you and the project team will need to agree the approach to be taken in respect of the timing of the verification, count and result calculation across the GLA elections. As GLRO you can decide when to start the sorting, verification and count of ballot papers, these processes should commence as soon as practicable after the close of poll. You should also inform CROs how you will approach the co-ordination of the verification and counting of votes.   

Any direction given as to timing should be developed in consultation with the CROs to ensure that it can be met in practice.

The overarching principle that should underpin the decision-making in relation to the timing of election counts, is, the need to ensure an accurate result in which voters, candidates and political parties have confidence.

As GLRO you should consider this principle carefully in deciding when, where and how the votes in each constituency will be verified and counted. You need to ensure that you are confident that both your and the CROs’ processes are managed and resourced in a way that enables counting to produce a timely outcome.

Your decision as to the timing of the verification and count should reflect the following:

• The Constituency Assembly Member election returns one result for each constituency.
• The London-wide Assembly and London Mayoral elections are both single polls taking place across the Greater London area producing one overall result each. Each constituency’s local total counts towards a result for the Greater London area as a whole and therefore it will be important to identify a defined period of time during which all the votes will be counted and totals announced for each constituency.  
• The result of the election must be accurate. Underpinning the approach to the timing of the verification and count is the need to ensure an accurate result in which voters and candidates can have confidence. Therefore the period of time specified for the verification and count to take place must be such that CROs can resource and conduct a well-run verification and count process within it.
• The potential for and extent of combined polls, for example any Borough by-elections taking place in the Greater London area. Where polls are combined, whether in some or all constituencies, you will need to take this into account in identifying the options for timing of the verification and counting of the votes for the GLA elections. You should:
  • obtain information from CROs about the other polls taking place and plans for verification and counting at the other polls, and use this information to inform your planning assumptions.
  • make clear when you communicate the plans for when to verify and count the votes what factors related to combination you have taken into account in making them, and any particular implications of your decisions for areas with combined polls.
  • ensure that you provide candidates and agents at the GLA election with information for all constituencies, highlighting where combination exists and has had an impact on the decision, including where this has resulted in different arrangements being in place.
  • keep your plans under review to deal with any last minute by-election being announced.