The vote reconciliation process has been underway at the vote counting hall at Naxxar where the ballot boxes used for yesterday's general election are being opened and emptied. The ballot papers are being placed faced down and counted, to ensure that their number tallies with the ballot paper account.

Minor problems were reported and sorted out. Among them was a broken seal on one of the Sliema ballot boxes - but all the other seals on the box were intact - and a difference of one vote in the ballot paper account for one of the boxes on the sixth district.

Once this process is completed, the ballots will be turned face up and the actual counting of the votes for the candidates starts. Although the Electoral Commission had said this process was not due to start until 10.30 a.m. the process overnight was faster than expected and counting may actually start earlier, although many doubt that.