Electoral Act 1907

As soon as practicable after the close of the poll each assistant returning officer must —

open all ballot boxes received at the assistant returning officer’s counting place and reject all informal ballot papers; and

on the other ballot papers —

if there are 1 or more above‑the‑line squares on the ballot paper, count the number of first preference votes marked in that square or each of those squares; or

in a single member election or if there are no above‑the‑line squares on the ballot paper, count the number of first preference votes given for each candidate;

enclose —

in one packet (the ballot paper packet), all the used ballot papers in the assistant returning officer’s possession; and

in another packet, all the unused ballot papers in the assistant returning officer’s possession; and

in another packet, all copies of rolls, books, communications from officers, or other papers or documents used or received at or in connection with the election, that are in the assistant returning officer’s possession;

seal up those packets, endorse each with a description of its contents and with the name of the counting place and the date of the polling, sign the endorsement, and forward the packets to the returning officer for the district together with —

if paragraph (b)(i) applies, a list of the total number of first preference votes marked in the above‑the‑line square, or each of the above‑the‑line squares, on the ballot papers contained in the ballot paper packet; or

if paragraph (b)(ii) applies, a list of the total number of first preference votes given for each candidate on the ballot papers contained in the ballot paper packet.

The ballot paper packet must be sealed before the scrutineers, if any, present and a scrutineer may sign the packet.

The list made out under subsection (1)(d)(i) or (ii) must be verified by the signature of the assistant returning officer and also by the signatures of such of the scrutineers, if any, as are present and consent to sign it.

In the case of a conjoint election subsection (1)(c)(iii) does not apply to papers or documents that apply to both the election for the Assembly and the election for the Council.