Doubts on vote night count law

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8508600.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Plans to stop vote counts being delayed until the next morning "may not be workable", says the elections watchdog.

MPs backed moves to force them to start within four hours of close of polls save for "exceptional circumstances".

Justice Secretary Jack Straw said it would send a "clear message" to returning officers not to delay counts "for their own convenience".

But the Electoral Commission said nothing was more important than an accurate count.

Mr Straw announced on Wednesday that the government would back a Conservative amendment to the Constitutional Reform Bill, which calls for counts to begin with four hours of polls closing.

'Sucked out drama'

It follows a cross-party campaign to "save election night", amid reports that many constituencies are considering delaying the Thursday night count until the Friday morning.

Conservative justice spokeswoman Eleanor Laing said that would have "have sucked all the excitement and drama out of general election night".

Returning officers have a responsibility to make sure the results are accurate and accepted. Nothing is more important than that Electoral Commission spokesman

But the Electoral Commission said the new clause, as drafted, might not be workable because guidance issued to returning officers could not "anticipate every circumstance that would justify a delay to the start of the count".

A spokesman added: "We all enjoy election night and understand the desire of parliamentarians and election candidates to know the result as soon as possible after polls close.

"However, returning officers have a responsibility to make sure the results are accurate and accepted. Nothing is more important than that."

Technical difficulties

He also said there had been a convention that electoral law was not changed in the six months before an election.

David Monks, who speaks on the issue for the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, said there were good logistical reasons why some areas traditionally held their counts on Fridays.

Even if the count started within four hours, it could be postponed if returning officers judged they could not continue owing to postal vote or technical difficulties or staff tiredness.

He told the BBC: "What people should be interested in is an accurate result that people have confidence in, this amendment appears to miss that point."

Two early day motions calling for counting to begin immediately after the polls shut have been signed by scores of MPs.

There had been reports that as many as one in four councils were considering abandoning the Thursday night count in favour of one on Friday - due to postal voting rules and higher staff costs.