Is it based broadly on the commonly known ‘grass skirt’ counting method, but has many more advantages:
• reusable and more environmentally friendly
• more cost effective
• more transparent
• provides for the counting of ‘no votes’
We have sold Kangaroo Boards® to over 80 local authorities across England and Wales.
Also available to order are Summary Sheets. Summary Sheets are used to count and collate ballot papers in batches of 20 or 25. We can create, print and supply Summary Sheets for you, using candidate names that you supply.
Please watch our video for a demonstration how to use the board and Summary Sheets.
For a quote or more information, please contact us. You can also get in touch about any technical queries you may have.
Things you may find useful
To help with calculating the number of Summary Sheets you require, we can send our Summary Sheet calculator. Please contact us for more information.
When purchasing our Kangaroo Board® we will provide you with:
• our generic Kangaroo Board instructions for count supervisors
• our generic Kangaroo Board instructions for count staff
• a batch reconciliation spreadsheet (based on 25 per batch)
Product feedback
How did the Kangaroo Boards work for you?
"Excellent… everyone using the boards quickly picked up how they worked." – Worthing Borough Council
"The boards were excellent – everyone involved was confident that we had an accurate result, and for the first time in a long time none of our wards needed a recount." – Derby City Council
"The returning Officer and senior management were in unanimous support of these boards. They were a very efficient way of counting the multi member vacancies and saved on the amount of paperwork that count teams are usually presented with at the count." – Hertsmere Borough Council
"Really well and efficient, they take up less space than grass skirts or counting sheets." – South Northamptonshire Council
Frequently asked questions
What are Kangaroo Boards®?
The ‘Kangaroo’ ballot paper counting board is a quick and cost-effective way of counting votes for a multi-vacancy election. A Kangaroo Board is an A1 size board with an acrylic pouch used to hold ballot papers in place.
What are Summary Sheets?
Summary Sheets can be supplied with each order and used to count ballot paper votes. Summary Sheets integrate with Kangaroo Boards to make the count process as easy and transparent as possible. We can design, print and supply Summary Sheets for you as part of the service we offer.
What are the advantages using Kangaroo Boards?
Kangaroo Boards are robust and light weight and can be re-used across a number of elections.
Kangaroo Boards save time. Counting a batch of 25 ballot papers using a Kangaroo takes about 2 minutes, compared to 3 minutes a batch using ‘grass skirts’. Grass skirts can only be used for one batch of papers, Kangaroo Boards can be re-used.
Greater transparency – electoral observers have greater oversight of the count of votes.
How many Kangaroo Boards will I need to order?
Counting staff work in pairs on a board, so if you have 120 counters working in pairs, you will need 60 Kangaroo Boards. The same board is used by the pair of counters for the duration of the count.
What happens to Ballot Papers and Summary Sheets once they have been counted?
Once a count has been completed, the batches of ballot papers can be stored securely. They take up less storage space than single use ‘grass skirts’.
How did Kangaroo Boards get their name?
We call the counting board a Kangaroo because of the pouch design that is used to hold ballot papers in place whilst they are counted.
Are recounts less likely with Kangaroo Boards?
Kangaroos Boards are a very transparent and clear way of counting votes. Candidates see this and accept provisional results far more often, hence the reduced need for re-counts.
How many Summary Sheets should I order?
We have designed a calculator to help you with this. It is based on entering electorate, expected turnout (we suggest an overestimate is used), and then divides by 25 (ballot papers per batch).