At the end of last year the Electoral Commission produced figures suggesting that at least 100 constituencies are likely to abandon the traditional Thursday night election count and instead start totting up the votes on Friday morning.
Today Jonathan Isaby's campaign to save Thursday night counting has hit a fresh setback. Jenny Watson, chair of the Electoral Commission, has told returning officers that counting on Friday would be "entirely appropriate".
Watson was speaking at the annual conference of the Association of Electoral Administrators at Blackpool. I wasn't there, but the Press Association are reporting her comments.
We all enjoy the excitement – or hard work – of election night, but returning officers have a responsibility to make sure the results are accurate and accepted ... The most important thing is that the count is accurate and that voters have confidence in the election result ... It is entirely appropriate for returning officers to decide to hold the count the next day – if they are clear that this is necessary to ensure an accurate result.
But she also had a warning for returning officers who do decide to count on the Friday.
There may not be a lot of sympathy for a count that declares the next day and doesn't appear to be run efficiently.
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