What results are available on election night?

The majority of electors (around 80%) cast an ‘ordinary’ vote, that is a vote cast on election day at a polling place within the electorate for which the elector is enrolled.

On election night only ordinary votes are counted and the results will be available as first preferences and as a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) count on the virtual tally room.

What results are available after election day?

There are a number of electors who cast what is known as a declaration vote and these are counted after election night. They consist of the following types of votes at by-elections:

• Postal vote – a vote cast by mail before election day by an elector – an elector needs to apply for a postal vote on a postal vote application form
• Early vote – a vote cast in person before election day at divisional offices or early voting centres
• Provisional vote – a vote cast on election day by an elector who believes he or she should be on the roll but whose name could not be found on the roll in the voting centre.

A fresh count of ordinary votes is also done in the post election period, to ensure accuracy of the election night count.

The counting of postal votes is an ongoing process as legislation requires that the AEC wait for up to 13 days after election day for postal votes. Postal votes are counted if they are postmarked before 6pm on election day and are received within 13 days of election day.