My Ref: DEB/SC/deb0828
Your Ref:
David Bond LLB Solicitor
Municipal Buildings
Church Road
Stockton-on-Tees
TS18 1LD
SAT NAV code: TS19 1UE
website: www.stockton.gov.uk
Tel: 01642 527060
Email: [email protected]
17 February 2017
Dear Sir/Madam
Tees Valley Mayoral Election – 4 May 2017
Further to my previous letter of 26 January 2017, I am writing to you again as the Tees Valley
Combined Authority Returning Officer (with the agreement of the Local Returning Officers for the
Boroughs of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland) and as the Local
Returning Officer for the Stockton-on-Tees Borough area.
Since the previous letter, the key arrangements for the verification of ballot papers and for the
counting of the votes have been finalised.
On polling day on Thursday 4 May 2017 (polling will be from 7.00am – 10.00pm), following the
close of poll at 10.00pm the verification of the ballot papers will take place separately in each of the
five Borough areas at the following Local Count venues:
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Thornaby Pavilion, Town Centre, Thornaby
Dolphin Centre, Darlington
Mill House Leisure Centre, Raby Road, Hartlepool
Middlesbrough Sports Village, Alan Peacock Way, Middlesbrough
Redcar & Cleveland Leisure and Community Heart, Ridley Street, Redcar
Verification
The provisionally verified local totals of ballot papers in each voting area will be shared with me
and with the Candidates and Agents present at each venue.
I will collate all of the local totals and produce a verified total of ballot papers for the whole of the
Tees Valley Combined Authority area. This will be shared with the Local Returning Officers for
each of the other voting areas and with the Candidates and Agents in attendance at Thornaby
Pavilion.
Continued….
- 2 Once verification has been completed, the verified ballot papers from each of the other Local
venues will be stored in sealed containers and then delivered by secure transport to Thornaby
Pavilion, in Thornaby Town Centre for the centrally coordinated counting of the votes cast in each
of the five Borough areas.
The counting of the votes will then commence at 11.00am on the morning of Friday 5 May 2017.
Counting of the Votes
Each Local Returning Officer from the five voting areas will be allocated a distinct part of the
Sports Hall at Thornaby Pavilion, in which to count the votes given in their voting area.
The counting in each voting area will be based on mini-counts. Each mini-count will be conducted
by separate count teams of four counting assistants and two supervisors.
First past the Post
Where there are only two Candidates in the election, the counting of the votes will take place using
the first past the post method, and there will be one count of the votes cast for each Candidate in
each of the five voting areas, followed by a collation of the results from each of those five areas, in
order to calculate which Candidate has received the most votes across the whole of the Tees
Valley Combined Authority area.
Supplementary Vote System
Where there are three or more Candidates in the election, the counting of the votes will take place
using the supplementary vote system. Electors vote for their first choice of Candidate (“first
preference vote”) and are also able to vote for their second choice of Candidate (“second
preference vote”), although they are not required to make a second choice if they do not wish to do
so.
First Preference Votes
Each Local Returning Officer will count the first preference votes cast in their voting area.
Doubtful ballot papers will be adjudicated upon at each mini-count table in each voting area on a
continuous rolling basis, in full view of the Candidates and Agents present.
Once counting is complete in each voting area, the provisional figures for the first preference votes
cast will be shared with Candidates and Agents, and then statements of local totals will be
publicised. All of the local totals will be collated to provide the total number of first preference
votes given for each Candidate across the whole of the Combined Authority area.
If a Candidate has more than 50% of the total first preference votes cast, that Candidate will be
elected. If that is not the case, the Candidates who are eliminated and those who will remain in the
contest will be determined.
Second Preference Votes
Second preference votes for the Candidates remaining in the contest from the ballot papers of the
eliminated Candidates will then be counted in each voting area, and the process followed in the
first count phase will be repeated, but for second preference votes. Doubtful ballot papers will
again be adjudicated on a rolling continuous basis at each mini-count table.
Continued….
- 3 Once local totals of second preference votes have been calculated for each voting area, and when
these have been collated, the total number of second preference votes for each remaining
Candidate and the total number of first and second preference votes for each such Candidate will
then be calculated. The Candidate with the most votes overall will be elected.
I hope this outline assists in understanding what will happen following the close of poll in each of
the five voting areas, particularly how ballot papers will be verified across the Combined Authority
area, but at local venues, and the means by which an overall election result will be achieved
through a centrally coordinated counting of the votes.
Please, however, do not hesitate to let me know if you have any comments or queries on the
arrangements for polling day and the subsequent verification and counting of the votes.
I would be happy to take you through those arrangements in more detail, if that would be of
assistance. Further information about the arrangements for the Election will be provided over the
coming weeks and there will of course be briefings for Candidates and Agents both before and
after nominations.
Kind regards.
Yours faithfully
Combined Authority Returning Officer