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Ch3 Elections and the electoral system / THE ELECTION PROCESS / Polling day / Counting



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House of Representatives                                Ch 3                                                 p 97

 

Elections and the electoral system / THE ELECTION PROCESS / Polling day

 

Counting

Each candidate may also appoint scrutineers at each place where votes are being counted. 1 Counting commences in the presence of the scrutineers as soon as possible after the poll closes. 2 An initial count of first preference votes and a two candidate preferred count is carried out. The purpose of the two candidate preferred count is to provide on election night an indication of the candidate most likely to be elected. After polling day a fresh count is made and preferences are distributed ( see p. 93). Informal (i.e. invalid) ballot papers are not included in the count. 3 In recent years the number of informal votes cast at general elections has varied between 2.1 and 6.3 per cent of the total votes cast. 4 In 2004 this figure was 5.18 per cent.



Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, s. 264.



Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 , s. 265.



Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 , s. 268.



Figures for elections from 1980 to 2004 inclusive.