Dean Jaensch: SA Election votes will be counted from this weekend but a result may take time and therefore patience

FOUR days to go to the most fascinating South Australian state election ever. The detailed results will take many more days. This frustrates some onlookers, who demand to know everything immediately. Dean Jaensch explains why our patience will pay off.

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FOUR days to go to the most fascinating South Australian state election ever.

There will be massive interest in the result, the preliminary figures of which will be published online on Saturday night by the State Electoral Commission and media, including The Advertiser.

This data will only be a rough guide. The detailed results will take many more days. This frustrates some onlookers, who demand to know everything immediately.

Voters in British elections do have that pleasure.

They can read the final result of a general election with their breakfast on the morning after. The first past the post system of voting in Britain is simple, and fast to count. But it has a major flaw – it is the least representative system in the democratic world.

The Australian counting system produces a much fairer result, but it is more complex, and takes over a week to reach a final result.

The Australian counting system produces a much fairer result, but it is more complex, and takes over a week to reach a final result.

The reason is that the electoral system in Australia includes a number of aspects which increase the access for all voters, aspects which are not offered in most other democratic nations.

The first step for the State Electoral Commission is to count the first preference votes. These are reported to the public throughout election night.

The Commission also carries out an indicative two-party preferred count which provides the media some idea about the possible outcome in each contest. But this is far from a final result.

The next stage, usually on the Sunday, is to collate and transfer the polling place ballot papers to an electorate counting centre, check all ballot papers, and update the data.

During the following days declaration votes will be transferred to the counting centres from all over the state, interstate and overseas. They have to be checked, processed and included in the count.

Postal votes can be received for six days after polling day.

Postal votes can be received for six days after polling day.

They take extra time to count. There are two envelopes to open. The outer envelope, showing the elector’s personal data, has to be checked and recorded, then the inner envelope is opened and the ballot paper incorporated in the count. The running totals are updated on the Commission’s website until the last votes are counted. Only then can the final stage take place – the distribution of preferences and the declaration of the final votes and results to the media and the public. So, try not to become impatient.

The Electoral Commission and its staff have a very complex task, and their efforts are too often unrecognised.

You may not get the election result you wanted but, in comparison with some other countries, you can rest assured that the result is unimpeachable.