Media Information - Electoral Office for Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland Assembly Election
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Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Assembly Election
Thursday 5 May 2022
Media InformationPage left blank intentionally
2Contents
1 Introduction 4
2 Northern Ireland Assembly Election timetable 4
3 Count centre visit 7
4 Accreditation process 7
5 Media access to the Count 8
6 Information point 8
7 Conduct in the count centre 8
8 Covid 19 – public health measures 9
9 Twitter 9
10 Plasma screens 9
11 The Count process 9
Appendices
Appendix 1 Count Centres and Constituencies 15
Appendix 2 Requirement of Secrecy Notification 16
31 Introduction
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) is responsible for Elections and
Referendums in Northern Ireland.
EONI recognises the vital role that the media provide in communicating with the wider
public during these events.
To facilitate the smooth running of the election coverage, EONI has produced the
following media guidelines to provide you with information about our facilities and
procedures.
2 Northern Ireland Assembly Election Timetable
Polling Day Thursday 5 May 2022
In calculating the election timetable below for the Northern Ireland Assembly election
the days which are disregarded are Saturday, Sunday, bank holidays and any day
appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
Event Deadline
Publication of notice of election Monday 28 March 2022
Delivery to the EONI of nomination 10.00am to 4.00pm on Tuesday 29 March,
papers Wednesday 30 March, Thursday 31 March,
Friday 1 April, Monday 4 April, Tuesday 5
April, Wednesday 6 April, Thursday 7 April
and 10.00am to 1.00pm on Friday 8 April
2022
4Delivery of notices of withdrawals of 10.00am to 4.00pm on Tuesday 29 March,
candidature Wednesday 30 March, Thursday 31 March,
Friday 1 April, Monday 4 April, Tuesday 5
April, Wednesday 6 April, Thursday 7 April
and 10.00am to 1.00pm on Friday 8 April
2022
Receipt of notices of appointment of 10.00am to 4.00pm on Tuesday 29 March,
election agents Wednesday 30 March, Thursday 31 March,
Friday 1 April, Monday 4 April, Tuesday 5
April, Wednesday 6 April, Thursday 7 April
and 10.00am to 1.00pm on Friday 8 April
2022
The making of objections to nomination 10.00am to 4.00pm on Tuesday 29 March,
papers Wednesday 30 March, Thursday 31 March,
Friday 1 April, Monday 4 April, Tuesday 5
April, Wednesday 6 April, Thursday 7 April
and 10.00am to 2.00pm on Friday 8 April
2022
The foregoing provisions do not apply to objections
made in pursuance of rule 15(2) (disqualification of
persons serving a prison sentence of more than
one year)
Publication of statements of persons
nominated:
a) If no objections are made 6.00pm on Friday 8 April 2022 (or as soon
as practicable thereafter)
b) If any objections are made, after
they have been disposed of but no
later than 24 hours after the
deadline for delivery of nomination
papers 1.00pm on Monday 11 April 2022
Receipt of postal and proxy vote 5.00pm on Tuesday 12 April 2022
applications
5Receipt of late registration applications Thursday 14 April 2022
Receipt of additional information in Tuesday 19 April 2022
relation to late registration applications
Receipt of late postal and proxy vote 5.00pm on Tuesday 26 April 2022
applications
Publication of notices of alteration as a Wednesday 27 April 2022
result of late registration
Receipt of notices appointment of Wednesday 27 April 2022
polling and counting agents
Receipt of applications by post for Before 4.00pm on Thursday 28 April 2022
replacement postal ballot papers
(tendered postal ballot papers) from
Anonymous Electors or postal proxies
of Anonymous Electors who claim to
have lost or not received postal ballot
papers
Receipt of notices of appointment of Tuesday 3 May 2022
sub-agents
Re-issue of spoilt postal votes 5.00pm on Wednesday 4 May 2022
Receipt of applications in person for Before 4.00pm on Wednesday 4 May 2022
replacement postal ballot papers
(tendered postal ballot papers) from
Anonymous Electors or postal proxies
of Anonymous Electors who claim to
have lost or not received postal ballot
papers
Polling Day 7.00am to 10.00pm on Thursday 5 May 2022
Alterations to the register due to clerical 7.00pm on Thursday 5 May 2022
error
6Verification of ‘unused’ ballot papers As soon as practicable after 10.00pm on
Thursday 5 May 2022 (completed overnight)
Verification of ‘used’ ballot papers (the 8.00am on Friday 6 May 2022
opening of ballot boxes)
Count commences Following verification on Friday 6 May 2022
3 Count Centres
The Northern Ireland Assembly counts for the 18 constituencies will take place
simultaneously on Friday 6 May at 3 count centres across Northern Ireland. Please find
a list of count centres and constituencies at Appendix 1.
You should contact Peter Mullan at peter.mullan@eoni.org.uk if you have any specific
requirements in relation to the count venue.
There will be a specified time period for media personnel to set up each count centre and
it is your responsibility to adhere to these times and ensure you have adequate facilities
on the night of the count. Please liaise directly with Peter Mullan to confirm
arrangements.
4 Accreditation Process
Media access to the count centres will be strictly controlled at all times and prior
accreditation is required. All media accreditation for the NI Assembly election will be
managed by EONI. Accreditation is open to all news broadcast and news print media.
There is a Media Centre on the EONI website that provides electorate statistics,
previous election results and statistics and the online Media Accreditation form.
http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Media-Centre
To apply for accreditation for the Assembly elections, please complete the application
form on the EONI website http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Media-Centre.
All applications must be submitted before noon on Wednesday 4 May 2022. You will
receive an automatic message on successful submission of the online media
accreditation form. You will receive no further correspondence from EONI regarding
your application.
75 Media access to the Count
You will be permitted access from 7.15am on Friday 6 May 2022. There will be a
media admission desk at each count centre. The staff will check your name against the
accreditation list, and on production of one of the following forms of identification, you
will be issued with a media wrist band, which must be worn at all times. They will only
be issued to individuals on production of:
• a current NUJ Card; or
• a current photographic organisation pass; or
• an original letter of authority from a print/broadcast organisation supported
with a second form of photographic identification – such as a passport or
Electoral Identity Card.
Members of the media will be required to also wear their photographic identification, for
example organisation ID/NUJ pass, at all times. All attendees at the count will be
required to observe the Notification of Requirement of Secrecy and you must read and
adhere to the requirement as shown at Appendix 2.
6 Information point
A Media Liaison Officer will be present throughout the count and will be the main point
of contact for all media related enquiries. Please note the Media Liaison Officer will only
be available for the duration of the count. If you have any queries in advance of the
count you should email info@eoni.org.uk.
A count centre information pack will be made available in advance for each count centre
detailing the count layout plan, key contact details and facilities available at each count
venue. A count centre information pack is available on our website detailing the count
layout plan, key contact details and facilities available at each count venue:
http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Information-for-candidates-and-agents/Count-
Information-Packs
7 Conduct in the count centre
Members of the media must abide by any direction given by the Senior Count Manager
or any person acting on their behalf. When instructed the Media Liaison Officer will
facilitate access into the count arena for a limited period to allow filming of the box
opening process. Cameras or recording equipment (including phone cameras) will
not be permitted to film close-ups of ballot papers or interfere with the count
process as this breaches the secrecy of the ballot.
8Interviews with candidates are not permitted beside the barriers, or immediately
proximate to the constituency count areas.
Everyone present must observe health and safety instructions and comply with
reasonable requests from the Media Liaison Officer and/or centre managers. A safety
briefing will take place prior to the beginning of the count and members of the media are
required to be in attendance.
8 Covid 19 – public health measures
Due to ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, there will be a range of public health measures in
place across the count venues. With the uncertainty provided by the pandemic we will
provide a guide of the measures you must follow nearer to the time. These will be in
accordance with latest guidance issued by the Public Health Agency, the Health and
Safety Executive of Northern Ireland and the Department for Health but you should
expect measures that you have become familiar with over the course of the pandemic. If
you have any additional requirements due to public health concerns, please email
info@eoni.org.uk.
9 Twitter
Data on the progress of the count will be posted on Twitter. If you wish to follow this
Twitter feed then please follow @eoni_official.
10 Plasma screens
There will be plasma screens set up in the count centre. The following information will be
displayed:
• progress of the count
• timings for the adjudication of doubtful votes
• stage results
11 The Count process
This is a ‘Single Transferrable Vote’ count whereby voters mark 1, 2, 3 and so on, in the
order of their preference. Five members must be elected in each of the 18
constituencies.
11.1 Verification
After the close of poll the number of unused, spoilt and tendered ballot papers returned
9from polling stations will be reconciled overnight in each of the count centres.
The opening of the ballot boxes at each count venue will begin at 8.00am on Friday 6
May. The count teams will reconcile the number of ballot papers found in each ballot
box against the number recorded on the ballot paper account by the Presiding Officer.
If the number of ballot papers recorded on the ballot paper account and the physical
checks correspond, the verification of that box is complete. If they do not, the ballot
papers will be recounted and the documentation checked until the Senior Count
Manager is satisfied as to the actual number of ballot papers to be included in the count.
This process will continue until all the ballot boxes have been verified.
On completion of the verification stage the Deputy Returning Officer will announce the
following:
• eligible electorate
• total votes polled
• percentage turnout
Printed copies of the turnout figures will be available from the Media Liaison Officer
immediately after the announcement and they will be displayed on the plasma screens.
11.2 Mixing the ballot papers
The legislation specifies that the DRO shall not count the votes on any ballot papers
until:
• in the case of postal ballot papers they have been mixed with the ballot papers
from at least one ballot box; and
• in the case of ballot papers from a ballot box they have been mixed with the
ballot papers from at least one other ballot box.
Whilst the verification is ongoing, and as soon as the ballot papers have been mixed
with at least one other verified ballot box, count assistants will begin to sort the ballot
papers according to the first preference votes cast for each candidate into the sorting
frames.
11.3 First stage
Each candidate’s ballot papers will then be removed from the sorting frames and
moved to the count tables. The candidate’s name will be displayed at each table
to identify which papers are being counted by each count team and the ballot
10papers will be kept face upwards at all times.
11.4 Doubtful ballot papers
All doubtful ballot papers will be moved from the sorting frames to the Doubtful Votes
area on a continuous basis.
A ballot paper is deemed to be invalid if it:
• does not bear the official mark; or
• the figure 1 is not placed so as to indicate a first preference for any candidate; or
• the figure 1 indicating a first preference is set opposite the name of more than
one candidate; or
• anything (other than the printed number and other unique identifying mark on the
back of the paper) is written or marked by which the voter can be identified; or
• is unmarked or void for uncertainty
11.5 Adjudication process
An announcement will be made on the PA system stating when the adjudication of the
doubtful ballot papers will take place.
The DRO will show the candidates and agents each paper and give a provisional
decision. They will hear any representations regarding their decision but the decision of
the DRO is final.
Any ballot paper deemed to be acceptable for a particular candidate will be taken
immediately to that candidates table in the vote records area.
The DRO will endorse the word ‘Rejected’ on any ballot paper which is invalid and will
add the words ‘Rejection objected to’ where an objection to their decision is made by an
election agent or counting agent. There is no appeal against the decision of the DRO
and candidates and agents are not permitted to put their own stamps on the ballot
papers.
11.6 Recording of candidates papers
The total number of first preference votes for each candidate will be entered in the
Candidate’s Vote Record Sheet, after all the papers have been received in the Vote
Record section.
11The Vote Record Supervisor will:
• collect all the Vote Record Sheets showing the total number of votes for each
candidate and the total number of rejected votes from the DRO;
• reconcile the aggregate first preference vote with the Top Table. These figures
should total the number of ballot papers included in the count;
• the DRO will discuss the first stage result with candidates and their election
agents;
• when all invalid votes have been set aside, the total vote for each candidate and
the total valid vote will be determined.
11.7 The quota
When the aggregate first preference vote (the total valid vote) is agreed, the quota for
the election will be determined by dividing the total valid vote by six (the number of
seats to be filled plus one) and increasing the result (ignoring any remainder) by one.
The quota will then be calculated using the following formula:
total valid votes
Q= ignore any fraction and add 1
6
Where the total number of votes for a candidate at any stage or sub-stage of the count
is equal to or exceeds the quota that candidate shall be deemed to be elected.
11.8 Announcement of the First Stage result
The DRO will call the candidates and agents together and brief them on the result of the
first stage and the next action to be taken.
The DRO will make a formal announcement of the result of the First Stage and a printed
copy of the result will be available from the Media Liaison Officer and displayed on the
plasma screens.
Any candidate who has attained or exceeded the quota will be ‘deemed elected’,
pending the declaration of the result at the completion of the count. The DRO will
announce the next stage (as previously agreed with the candidates) and inform the
candidates that the next stage of the count will proceed.
1211.9 Subsequent stages
The subsequent stages of the count will involve either the transfer of surplus votes from
a candidate whose vote exceeds the quota or the exclusion of one or more candidates
with the least number of votes and the redistribution of their votes according to the next
available preference.
Vote Record assistants will maintain a record of the number and value of the papers
received and collated by them for each candidate at each stage and place the bundles
of papers (made up onto bundles of 1,000) in the candidate storage area.
At the end of each stage, the Deputy Returning Officer will announce the names of any
candidates who have reached the quota and are deemed to be elected or, if no
candidates have reached the quota, the names of any candidates who have been
excluded. If at any stage the number of continuing candidates equals the number of
seats to be filled, then such candidates are deemed elected.
The results of each stage will be displayed on the plasma screens and printed copies
will be available from the Media Liaison Officer.
11.10 Re-count
A request for a re-count must be made by a candidate to the DRO when the stage has
been finalised. This is a matter for the DRO. As soon as the commencement of the next
stage is formally announced any such request will be refused.
11.11 Declaration
Candidates previously deemed elected will now formally be declared elected by the
DRO.
Media personnel will be given an advance warning of 10 minutes before the Declaration
of the Result announcement. Printed copies of the result will be available from the
Media Liaison Officer after the announcement.
The following information will be available:
• the names of the candidates declared to be elected;
• the number of first preference votes for each candidate whether elected or not;
• the transfer of votes;
• the total number of votes for each candidate at each stage of the count at which
such transfer took place; and
13• the order in which the candidates where elected.
14Appendix 1
Count Centres and Constituencies
Constituencies Count Venue
East Londonderry Meadowbank Sports Arena
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Ballyronan Road
Foyle Magherafelt
Mid Ulster BT45 6EH
Newry and Armagh
Upper Bann
West Tyrone
Belfast East Titanic Exhibition Centre
Belfast North 17 Queens Road
Belfast South Belfast
Belfast West BT3 9DU
South Down
Strangford
East Antrim Ulster University Jordanstown
Lagan Valley Shore Road
North Antrim Newtownabbey
North Down Co. Antrim
South Antrim BT37 0QB
15Appendix 2
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY ELECTION 5 MAY 2022
NOTIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT OF SECRECY
Your attention is drawn to Section 66 (2) and (6) of the Representation of the
People Act 1983, and in particular to the maximum penalty set out in paragraph (6)
for anyone found guilty of this offence. Level 5 is currently set at £5000. It is the
policy of the Chief Electoral Officer to report to the police any person suspected of
breaking any of these provisions.
Section 66
(2) Every person attending at the counting of the votes shall maintain and aid
in maintaining the secrecy of voting and shall not -
(a) ascertain or attempt to ascertain at the counting of the votes the
number or other unique identifying mark on the back of any ballot
paper;
(b) communicate any information obtained at the counting of the votes as
to the candidate for whom any vote is given on any particular ballot
paper.
(6) If a person acts in contravention of this section he shall be liable on
summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale
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