Unofficial result expected by noon

The much awaited general election result is expected to be known by around noon today, although there could actually be earlier indications.

Top party officials will have a clear idea of how their party fared within half an hour of the beginning of the crucial sorting process when counting agents will start turning votes face up and sort them according to the first preferences. This process is expected to start by 10.30 a.m.

However, if the election is too close to call, party insiders will have to collect more data directly from the counting hall to base their announcement on a wider sample of votes.

Both main parties will have scores of agents behind the counting hall's perspex taking note of every vote and inputting the data in portable computers directly linked to their party headquarters.

In the last general election, the Nationalist Party was in a position to declare victory at 11.20 am, just 10 minutes after the start of vote-counting. Labour leader Alfred Sant had conceded defeat during a special TV broadcast at 12.40 p.m.

Election observers explained that a high turnout should in theory favour the Nationalist Party. The turnout in 2003 was 96.9 per cent of all those eligible to vote, 0.3 per cent lower than the record turnout in 1996.

During the past three elections, Television Malta was quick to announce the result as it engaged the services of economist Edward Scicluna who used to conduct a mathematical sampling exercise similar to the one done by the major parties. However, sources close to PBS said that the national station has this time decided not to offer this service. The main reason seems to be lack of funds.