Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

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Estimating the duration of your verification and count

There are several things that you can think about at an early stage to help estimate the timings of each stage of your verification and count. This should include:

  • the number of staff and any staffing formulas you have in place e.g. number of ballot papers counted per hour per count assistant 
  • whether you have a stand-alone election or combination of polls
  • the number of ballot papers that were processed at a previous equivalent election
  • the methodology used at previous elections e.g. mini-counts 
  • the timings at previous equivalent elections for completion of the various stages of the verification and count

You should share these timings with stakeholders together with the assumptions that underpin them. However, you should also warn stakeholders that these timings are indicative only and may change - for example, if turnout was significantly higher or lower than expected.

Some stakeholders may hold expectations as to how quickly the processes can be completed which cannot be met in practice and this can lead to tension and frustration at the verification and count. To manage expectations, you should explain in some detail the processes involved, how long each stage is likely to take and the resources you have put in place. 

You should make stakeholders aware that the verification for all local government polls needs to be completed before the count for any of the polls can commence.1 If you are responsible for more than one count, you should also explain to stakeholders the order in which the counts for the various elections will take place and the arrangements that are in place should there be a break in proceedings. 

For a UK Parliamentary election you should make stakeholders aware that you do not have to wait until you have completed the verification of all polls for which you are taking on the combined function as the RO, before you can start counting the votes.2

Last updated: 3 March 2023