Provisional election results can be published in different ways. In some countries, the incoming results from lower level to higher electoral commissions are publicly displayed as and when they come in. With this system of “piecemeal reporting”, first results can be quickly provided, but the initial results may differ considerably from the final outcome, as the results come in from different areas. Alternatively, provisional results may not be announced until all results, or a representative portion of them, have been reported from lower level to higher level electoral commissions. In such cases, the first published provisional results are close(r) to the final outcome. However, it should not take too long to publish first provisional results.