If you can't cope with TV election coverage, watch the footy and keep the Virtual Tally Room on your computer, tablet

The range of sporting events tonight include a rugby test, AFL final, NRL final rounds and even US Open tennis and some might add the blood sport - politics.

But if the misery on the faces of Labor commentators and the smug adulation of the Liberals is too hard to take, then there's a cliche free way to stay right up to date with the federal election 2013 result while watching the sport of your choice.

The Australian Electoral Commission's Virtual Tally Room is an appealing alternative to the now defunct National Tally Room in Canberra and the repetitive election coverage on the television networks. (Have you noticed the longer coverage runs, the shallower it gets?)

Anyway, at the VTR you'll find live updates of seat tallies for each party and independents as well as state breakdowns, two party preferred and closed seats.

Using the menu on the left, you can click through to progress on individual seats, see seats where the incumbent is trailing and check out the latest count in the Senate.

Who needs half a dozen or a hundred talking-heads (no matter how much we love you) to describe what can find out for ourselves with a few clicks during the ad break at the footy (or whatever you are up to tonight!).

Got to http://vtr.aec.gov.au and enjoy your evening.