Attending the count
Attendees at the count
Candidates whether constituency candidates, individual regional candidates or those on a Regional Party List, one other person chosen by them, and election agents are entitled to attend the count. A sub-agent is entitled to attend in place of an election agent.
Additionally, counting agents may be appointed specifically to attend the count. The deadline for appointing counting agents is 29 April and information has been circulated with respect to numbers allowed. Candidates and election agents can also do anything that a counting agent is allowed to do.
Requirements of secrecy
Every person attending the count must read and abide by the Requirement for Secrecy. This is a very serious matter and breaches may be investigated by Police Scotland and could lead to fines or imprisonment.
Role of the counting agent
The role of the counting agent is to support their candidate / party. In addition, they also have an important part to play as the “eyes and ears” of the public in giving assurance that the count is carried out accurately.
We rely on agents and observers to provide confidence that the count is secure and undertaken with integrity.
Counting agents have a number of important roles to play at the count
- watching the papers being counted and sorted
- making sure that papers go into the correct piles - if they see a paper going on a wrong pile they must speak to the supervisor wearing a red bib with an “S”
- observing the counting process and making sure that it is accurate
- drawing to the attention of the supervisors any “doubtful ballot papers”
- if a count is suspended for any reason or there is a break in the proceedings, counting agents can add their own seals to the doors when the hall is secured.
Interaction with count staff
All count staff will wear a coloured bib. Counting agents should not engage with count assistants in conversation or discussion and must not encroach into the count assistant’s workspace. Counting tables are laid out to allow counting agents to observe the process whilst remaining outside the barriers.
If you think there is a problem, then you must raise it with one of the supervisors, the Count Manager in charge of the area or the Assistant Count Manager, and not the count assistants. Senior staff will have red bibs. If an issue is raised at a particular table, the count assistants will be instructed to stop work until it is resolved.
Supervisors have been instructed to ensure that observers do not intrude on the count staff’s work area. While observers have a role to scrutinise and ensure a transparent process, they must respect the count assistants and give them space to do their work.
Observers and Counting Agents
- should not lean over the chain link barrier or otherwise physically intrude upon the counting area
- must keep talk and noise to a minimum near the counting tables
- must not block the circulation space round the edge of the count hall as it is both a corridor and an emergency exit route.
To ensure clear evacuation routes there are no additional tables allowed in this space and any chairs placed in front of fire exits or blocking access to any circulation route will be removed by security.
Observing the count
Candidates and agents can access the count floor to observe the count.
At any time and if you wish to raise an issue, you can raise your hand to attract the attention of a table supervisor or count supervisor/manager who will quickly attend to your query.