EXPLAINER: When to expect results of Ondo governorship election

As Ondo state heads to the polls, 1.7 million voters—85.6% of the 2.05 million registered voters— are currently making a decision to elect their next governor for the next four years.

As voting takes place in 3,933 polling units spread across 18 local government areas in the state, the election features candidates from 17 political parties vying for power, including the incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and former deputy governor Agboola Ajayi.

Voting Process

On Election Day, according to information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, polling stations open from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM for accreditation and voting.

Voters already in line by 2:00 PM will still be allowed to cast their ballots. However, only registered voters in the polling unit they are accredited in can vote. After all voters have cast their ballots, the Presiding Officer will declare voting closed.

Counting and Sorting of Ballots

Once voting is closed, the Presiding Officer will:
1. Sort the ballots by party.
2. Count the votes loudly in the presence of polling agents and observers.
3. Mark rejected ballots as “rejected” or “rejected but objected to” if contested.
4. Recount votes if requested by a candidate or polling agent (only once).
5. Complete and sign the result form (Form EC8A), and share copies with polling agents, security, and the police.

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The results will be displayed at the polling unit on the mandatory Form EC60E.

Electronic Transmission of Results

After sorting and counting, the Presiding Officer will:
1. Electronically transmit the polling unit results directly to the INEC collation system.
2. Upload a scanned copy of the results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for public access, which means you can start checking the IReV portal from 3 pm for result updates.
3. Transport the original results forms in a tamper-evident envelope to the Registration Area/Ward Collation Officer, accompanied by security agents.

When to Expect Final Results

Once all polling unit results are transmitted, the data will undergo collation at the ward and local government levels. The final results are expected to be declared by the Returning Officer at the state collation centre.

With real-time updates available on the IReV portal, the preliminary results could be available as soon as the evening of Election Day, with final results expected within 24 to 48 hours, depending on the efficiency of the collation process and any disputes or recounts that may arise.

Voters and stakeholders are encouraged to monitor the process on the IReV for transparency and updates throughout the election period.

The INEC, on Friday, expressed its readiness for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, assuring voters that, “We have done our own work, we will not disappoint the people of Ondo State.”

INEC National Commissioner Supervising Ondo, Ogun and Osun States, Professor Kunle Ajayi, revealed this on Channels Television’s Politics Today in Akure.

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