E-counting system ‘rigorously tested‘

THE electronic counting system to be used in the upcoming council elections in Scotland has been “rigorously tested”, local government minister Derek Mackay has insisted.

Electronic counting was used in the chaotic 2007 elections – when more than 100,000 ballot papers were rejected and declarations were subject to long delays.

But Mr Mackay promised a “reliable and accurate result” after tests on the system. He spoke out after attending a run-through of the e-counting system with staff from Perth and Kinross Council, which has been subject to 20 months of testing.

If the council vote, which uses the single transferable voting system in Scotland, were to be counted by hand, a result would be delayed by two to three days.