Guidance for Returning Officers administering a Senedd election

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Timing of the verification and count

The EMB may provide a direction and/or guidance on the timing of the count.

If a direction is not provided you must make arrangements for the verification of the ballot paper accounts and counting the votes as soon as practicable after the close of poll.1

Decisions on the timing of the count should be made before the notice of election is published so that you can inform those with an interest, including political parties and broadcasters, at an early stage. There will be an expectation among political parties, candidates and the media that the results will be declared as soon as possible after the close of poll. You will therefore need to plan carefully how to manage the expectations of parties, candidates and the media. 

You will need to consider the timing of the verification, count and result collation across the constituency, and, if local counts are taking place, how you will ensure you are able to deliver to expected timings for the whole process to be completed. 

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

You need to ensure that you are confident that both your, and where applicable, any local count processes are managed and resourced in a way that enables counting to produce a timely outcome. 

Methodology

The way that you decide to organise and manage the verification and count in the constituency will have an impact on timing.

You should consider using a mini-count approach when planning your verification and count. It is widely accepted that breaking down the verification and count into areas smaller than the relevant electoral area is particularly effective in achieving an accurate, timely result with clear audit trails.

The results from those areas are then aggregated to achieve an overall result for that area. Any counting issues that may arise will be limited to a more manageable area and any re-counts that may happen as a result, may be limited.

You will need to decide whether you will take the opportunity to start counting votes before the verification is completed.

In the case of a constituency that covers more than one local authority and where the verification and/or count will be decentralised, you should decide whether to require the use of any particular methods or to leave it to any appointed deputies at each venue to choose their preferred method based on what is most appropriate for their local circumstances and explain it to you. 

Whatever method is used it should be transparent and lead to an accurate outcome. You will need to consider how you will ensure that the local totals you receive to collate the result are accurate before you accept them. You should produce templates of all documents required to be completed during the verification and count process to provide a clear audit trail. 

Whatever your decision, you should be able to satisfy yourself that plans in each venue will meet the principles for an effective verification and count and will deliver a result that is accurate and in which everyone can have confidence.

Last updated: 21 April 2026