stemuitslagen

Stemuitslagen is a Dutch term that refers to the outcome of a vote in an election or referendum. It denotes the official tally of the votes cast and is typically published by electoral authorities after polls close. The term covers both provisional (voorlopige) results released on election night and definitive (definitieve) results after verification and possible recounts.

The core data in stemuitslagen include the number of valid votes for each candidate or party, their share as a percentage of valid votes, the number of blank and invalid ballots, and the overall voter turnout. In proportional representation systems, stemuitslagen feed into seat allocation according to a specified method (for example, the D'Hondt method used in the Netherlands and Belgium). Often, raw vote counts are reported first, with final results reflecting the completed calculations and any subsequent adjustments.

Reporting is conducted by local electoral boards and aggregated by national authorities. Provisional results are widely disseminated by official channels and the media on or soon after election night, while final results follow after audits, reconciliations, and, if necessary, recounts. Stemuitslagen are used by journalists, analysts, and political parties to assess performance, but they should be interpreted with caution until official final results are published.

Beyond governmental elections, stemuitslagen also apply to referendums, municipal or organizational votes, and other formal decision-making processes. Data quality depends on proper counting, handling of overseas and postal votes, and the transparency of the reporting process.