Election Results – Frequently Asked Questions

What results are counted on election night?

On election night, all first preference votes will be counted at the polling place where they are cast.

Prior to polling day, the AEC determines the names of the two candidates expected to come first and second in the election. The ballot papers for each of the other candidates are then sorted to the next available preference for either of the two candidate preferred figure (TCP) which provides an indication of the likely outcome of the election. This count does not replace the full distribution of preferences which is conducted later, but gives a preview of the results of that count.

What happens after polling day?

The votes that are cast at polling places on polling day are counted on polling night. At the 1998 federal election 82% of the votes were cast this way. The result of the election is by no means finalised at this stage, even if a particular party has claimed victory or the government has conceded defeat.

The AEC is obliged under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to wait 13 days for postal votes mailed before polling day to arrive. In the case of a close seat, this may mean that a result may not be available until after the 13 days have elapsed.

Following polling day, declaration votes (absent and prepoll votes) are sent to their home divisions. Home divisions are the electoral division in which the voter lives. During the first week after polling day, scrutiny (checking of voter eligibility and counting) of absent prepoll, provisional and postal votes begins.

What is the difference between two candidate preferred or two party preferred?

These are different terms, though they can often, but not always be interchanged.

The term 'two candidate preferred' (TCP) refers to a distribution of preferences (votes) between two candidates who are expected to come first and second in the election. Often the two candidates for the TCP process will be from the ALP and the Coalition, but it could also be candidates from minor parties or independent candidates depending on who is expected to gain the majority of votes.

The term 'two party preferred' (TPP) refers to a distribution of preferences (votes) between the two major parties – the ALP and the Coalition (Liberal/National parties). This comparison is usually used to try to predict the possibilities of forming a government. It is a tool that examines the proportion of votes that will go to the major parties after all preferences have been taken into consideration.

Why does the AEC conduct a full distribution of preferences where a candidate has won an absolute majority?

A distribution of preferences takes place in every division and is used to calculate the two party preferred statistics for divisions that have ALP and Coalition as the final two candidates. In divisions that do not have the ALP and Coalition as the final two candidates, a Scrutiny for Information is conducted to determine the two party preferred result. A Scrutiny for Information in such cases is a notional distribution of preferences to find the results of preference flows to the ALP and Coalition candidates.