Media contacts
Keith Eaton
Manager Operations & Public Awareness, NSW State Office
Phone: (02) 9375 6312 • Mobile: 0412 269 720
2
December 2009
Getting the results of the Bradfield by-election
Timely and comprehensive election results for the Bradfield by-election will be available on
election night via the Virtual Tally Room (VTR) on the Australian Electoral Commission
Results will be available after 6pm on election night, Saturday, 5 December 2009 and
updates will take place throughout the night. The VTR for the Bradfield by-election will
operate until all results are finalised.
What results are available on election night?
The majority of electors 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 VTR.
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 AEC 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 polling place.
A fresh count of ordinary votes is also done in the week following the by-election 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.
For further information visit the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au or call 13 23 26.
NEWS 
