Preparations are under way for the electronic counting of votes at the combined Scottish Parliament and South Ayrshire Council elections taking place on May 3, 2007.

Scottish Ministers had already taken the decision that the voting would be carried out electronically, and now South Ayrshire Council’s Chief Executive, Tom Cairns, in his capacity as Returning Officer, has been authorised to enter into contracts to arrange for the appropriate technical and staff resources to be made available.

The Council’s Policy and Resources Committee was told that the counting of votes will begin immediately after the close of the poll, with the Scottish Parliamentary Election count taking precedence over the Local Government Election count.

Said the Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Gibson T. Macdonald: “While the actual decision to move to electronic counting was outwith our hands,  it does seem to be the way forward in the 21st century.

“Trials of the electronic counting system have already taken place, involving Returning Officers and staff, and we have been made aware of the results of polls where electronic counting has successfully taken place.”

November 2006