Making Rigging History

At this stage there is one fundamental objective – to accurately count the number of votes per candidate. This requires complete objectivity, integrity and total transparency of process.

The ballot papers that were completed by the electorate should match the total count in every way.

Being able to validate that the count has been all-inclusive is a key part of the process. That requires all of the processes leading up to the count to have been operating effectively.

There are numerous administration activities that will start in parallel with the preceding phases – so that come election day everything is in order and voting can occur safely, securely and with the involvement of everyone who is entitled and motivated to vote.

This is a significant operation that requires timely planning, tight co-ordination and strong management.

It involves the movement of equipment across regions, rural and urban. It requires the establishment of secure polling stations and the provision of information so that everyone knows where they go to vote. It depends on the availability of ballot papers and skilled people to manage the process.

Everything has to be tested and have contingency in place.

Third parties have to be selected wisely and their contribution managed. Problems have to be anticipated so that there are fallback plans and reactions must be swift when those plans are called on. 

In reality the process starts with rumour and debate. Elections are not just suddenly announced and there will be a trigger – it could be expiry of term of a significant destabilising event – whatever the reason there will be activity leading up to an Election announcement that ends with the Announcement/s – the date of the election/s and some information about the process to follow. These are the first opportunities to create a solid foundation for the election.

Registration is a critical enabler to giving everyone a chance to have their say. This means knowing exactly who is entitled to vote and making sure that they have a chance to mark their ballot paper themselves. It also places a responsibility on every eligible citizen to respect that right and register their intention to vote.

The electorate needs choice, and to know that the people they most trust to run the country are being put forward as candidates. People will be disinclined to support this system if they have no emotional connection with the nominees.

All parties have the right to be included in the system and to be confident that they will be treated as equally in opposition as they will when in power.

A chance to connect with the electorate over the issues being promoted and to help them understand how they will be addressed by each party and candidate representing that party.

This is not a time for personal agenda and ambition. Candidates must make it clear what they stand for otherwise there is no motivation to vote – and for those who are motivated there is no way of determining the better candidate.

By the time voting day arrives everything should be in place and the focus moves to ensuring that nothing impedes the course of democracy.

People need to be in place ahead of time so that no one is turned away because the station is not open. And the stations must be open when they say and for as long as they have promised. No citizen should feel intimidated or in any way discouraged from turning up to place their vote.

Having cast the vote the administration has an obligation to make sure that every vote counts. This means accurate and effective collation of the results along with safe transportation of the ballot boxes to the counting stations. Every ballot paper deserves to find its way into the count fully reflecting the wishes of the voter.

This also requires open declaration of spoiled and destroyed papers so that they can be accounted for in the counting phase.

The declaration phase covers the final announcement of the winning party/candidate plus subsequent challenges and petitions. The system is not complete until all stakeholders are in agreement that a fair and democratic process has been followed.

Firstly the announcement must be reflective of the actual result – there should be no last minute opportunities to decide to ignore everything that happened till now.

Challenges and petitions that do arise must be dealt with objectively and within a meaningful legal framework – one that represents everything that the system should stand for and one that cannot be corrupted or distorted by individual or party interference.