Six-day wait while computer counts the votes

THE Tasmanian Electoral Commission has announced that it will use a computer system to count the votes in this month's Derwent Valley Council election. Electoral Commissioner Julian Type yesterday said a computer count would be used for the 10 most complex councillor elections.

"With the move to all-in, all-out elections, there is an unprecedented number of candidates," Mr Type said. "It follows directly that the counts for most councils will be more complex and take longer by comparison to previous years' elections," he said.

With 19 candidates contesting the eight seats on the soon-to-be smaller Derwent Valley Council, these votes will be counted along with those of four much larger southern councils at a location separate from the main counting centres. Five northern councils have also been selected for the computerised count. The computer counting will be done at University of Tasmania campuses in Sandy Bay and Newnham. 

All mayoral and deputy mayoral votes and the remaining 18 councillor elections will be counted by hand at the three main counting centres at Elwick Racecourse, the Albert Hall and the East Devonport Recreation and Function Centre.

Different time frames will apply to the manual and computerised counts.

COMPUTER COUNT                    MANUAL COUNT

First figures (approx 20%               Progressive first preference 

of ballots including                         figures, 6pm Oct 28.

progressive distribution 

of preferences) 8pm Oct 28.          Update with 50% of figures

                                                      Update with 100% of figures

40-50% of ballots,                         100% rechecked figures,

evening of Oct 29.                          possibly not until Oct 29.

No further figures until

final result, could be

weekend of Nov 1-2.