5 ms·

Don't know about UK, but I suspect it is because they start counting as soon as they receive them. In US there were some laws that counting couldn't start befo

by takeda 6y ago

Don't know about UK, but I suspect it is because they start counting as soon as they receive them. In US there were some laws that counting couldn't start before polls are closed. Despite mail in ballots arriving a month earlier. In some places they weren't even allowed to prepare them for counting (like verifying signatures and removing ballots from envelopes).

chrisseaton 6y ago
The UK does not start counting until polls are closed. They count all ballots - both in-person and mail-in - within a few hours. They have a lot of people in gyms and just go through them quickly.
- creato 6y ago
  The states that had long delayed results were due to being close, and accepting mail in ballots long after polls closed. It's not a matter of counting speed.
  - chrisseaton 6y ago
    The UK does recounts in hours, not weeks.
    - godelski 6y ago
      This election is an anomaly and should not be considered the norm. But there's also some confusion where winners get announced before the total counting is done. They are just announced when there is believed to be statistical certainty. A nation wide (full) recount is not happening in a few hours and if it was I would expect it to have a decent error margin. The UK also doesn't have as many options on the ballots as the US you have president, house, senate, judges, reps, measures, state constitution amendments, etc. You can't make a one to one comparison.
- treis 6y ago
  Aren't UK elections generally just for your individual MPs? That's different than the US where you will have numerous races and ballot issues during the same election. For example, I voted for President, 2 senators, a congressman, probably a dozen state & local officials, and three state constitutional amendments.
  - chrisseaton 6y ago
    Usually for MPs and councillors, but yes probably less than what you vote for. But couldn't you count at least president within hours? And then go back on a priority schedule? Doesn't seem to need computers.
rootusrootus 6y ago
> In US there were some laws that counting couldn't start before polls are closed. This is a good time to remind everyone that in the U.S. there are many different voting jurisdictions, and at the very least 50 different sets of rules. Some similar, some not. So it's difficult to generalize, some places count early, some not, some allow late arrivals, some not, etc.

by takeda 6y ago

chrisseaton 6y ago

The UK does not start counting until polls are closed. They count all ballots - both in-person and mail-in - within a few hours. They have a lot of people in gyms and just go through them quickly.

creato 6y ago
The states that had long delayed results were due to being close, and accepting mail in ballots long after polls closed. It's not a matter of counting speed.
- chrisseaton 6y ago
  The UK does recounts in hours, not weeks.
  - godelski 6y ago
    This election is an anomaly and should not be considered the norm. But there's also some confusion where winners get announced before the total counting is done. They are just announced when there is believed to be statistical certainty. A nation wide (full) recount is not happening in a few hours and if it was I would expect it to have a decent error margin. The UK also doesn't have as many options on the ballots as the US you have president, house, senate, judges, reps, measures, state constitution amendments, etc. You can't make a one to one comparison.
treis 6y ago
Aren't UK elections generally just for your individual MPs? That's different than the US where you will have numerous races and ballot issues during the same election. For example, I voted for President, 2 senators, a congressman, probably a dozen state & local officials, and three state constitutional amendments.
- chrisseaton 6y ago
  Usually for MPs and councillors, but yes probably less than what you vote for. But couldn't you count at least president within hours? And then go back on a priority schedule? Doesn't seem to need computers.

rootusrootus 6y ago

> In US there were some laws that counting couldn't start before polls are closed. This is a good time to remind everyone that in the U.S. there are many different voting jurisdictions, and at the very least 50 different sets of rules. Some similar, some not. So it's difficult to generalize, some places count early, some not, some allow late arrivals, some not, etc.