The count
The count will be held on Thursday 7th May from 10pm at Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre:
Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre
Salerno Way
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 2EH
You can find out more about how to find the venue and the accessibility information.
The ballot box reception will be taking place in the car park from 10pm and this can sometimes cause queues whilst paperwork is checked. If you wish to observe the ballot box reception, please arrive before 10pm, if you do not, we suggest that you arrive after 10:45pm to avoid the queues.
We will publish a count attendee information pack that you can share with anyone that you will be bringing to the count, this will be available after the deadline for nominations.
Every candidate is entitled to attend the count, alongside their election agent and one guest. They can also appoint up to four count agents.
You must notify us of the appointment of any count agents before Wednesday 29th April, but you can let us know who your guest(s) will be before 4th May.
All attendees will be required to wear a name badge, so please ensure that you let us know as early as possible so that these can be prepared.
Everyone in attendance should ensure they have read and understood the secrecy requirements at the count.
Should anyone present at the count interfere with the effective conduct of the count or be abusive towards staff or other observers they will be asked to leave.
The count centre will be split into nine count teams, counting one county division each:
- Count Team One - Woodham Ferrers
- Count Team Two - Springfield
- Count Team Three - Great Baddow and Galleywood
- Count Team Four - Danbury and The Hanningfields
- Count Team Five - Chelmsford West
- Count Team Six - Chelmsford North
- Count Team Seven - Chelmsford Central
- Count Team Eight - Chelmer
- Count Team Nine - Broomfield and Writtle (and Broomfield and The Walthams city council ward)
Candidates and agents are never allowed to cross into the staff side of the count centre. If you wish to speak to a senior member of staff, please alert one of the count team leaders.
Stage 1
The contents of polling station and postal voting ballot boxes are counted face up into bundles of ten whilst the count team leaders count the unused and spoilt ballot papers.
This is to ensure and demonstrate that all ballot papers issued at polling stations, and all returned postal ballot papers have been brought to the count.
Stage 2
Ballot papers from polling stations and postal voters will now be mixed.
The votes are then sorted into trays according to which candidate they have voted for. The candidate votes are then again counted into bundles of 10.
The senior count team will then record the votes as counted by the count team and reconcile the results.
Stage 3
When the returning officer is satisfied with the result, they will ask the relevant agents to join them to present the provisional result.
Stage 4
The returning officer will declare the result.
Any doubtful ballot papers will be reviewed by the returning officer or his deputies using the Electoral Commissions guidance. A ballot paper can be rejected if:
- it does not have an official mark
- votes are given for more candidates than the voter is entitled to vote for
- the voter can be identified
- it is void or uncertain
An announcement will be made when doubtful ballot papers are going to be looked at for each count team.
Observers are entitled to query any ballot papers or decisions as to a ballot paper, but we would request that you raise this with a member of the senior count team, wherever possible. This would include any count team leaders or assistant count team leaders and the returning officer and his deputies.
Press may be present at the count and they may wish to conduct interviews with some candidates.
A private area will be available for this but we request that you ensure that you do not disrupt the count and are mindful of the secrecy requirements.