Poll worker management

Nurturing Democracy in the Horn of Africa: Somaliland's First Elections, 2002-2005

Type
Case Studies
Author
Richard Bennet and Michael Woldemariam
Keywords
Somaliland
election commission
Election Management Body
registration
court
violence
clans
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition
Building a Reform Team and Staff
Getting the News Out/Managing Expectations
Critical Tasks
Election schedules
Legal framework
Poll worker management
Vote counting
Voter education
Core Challenge
Dispute resolution (compliance)
Country of Reform
Somaliland
Full Publication
Nurturing Democracy_Somaliland_ToU_1.pdf
Nurturing Democracy_ Somaliland ToU.txt
Abstract
A decade after the former British protectorate of Somaliland severed ties with the rest of Somalia and declared independence, the fledgling state took the next steps toward democracy by holding direct elections. This transition occurred over the course of four years and three elections, during which the people of Somaliland elected district councils in 2002, a president and vice president in 2003, and a parliament in 2005. Somaliland’s democratic elections, the first in the Horn of Africa since 1969, were landmark achievements, as traditional social and political mechanisms legitimized the results and reinforced stability in the aftermath. The inexperienced and under-resourced National Electoral Commission successfully navigated the development of political parties, avoided the potential for violence when the margin of victory in the presidential election was only 80 votes, and managed an improved parliamentary election by introducing innovations that made the electoral process operate more smoothly. By avoiding violence and building consensus for peaceful, democratic transitions, Somaliland’s first elections highlighted a mix of traditional and democratic innovations conducted in a resource-poor environment.
 
Richard Bennet and Michael Woldemariam drafted this policy note on the basis of interviews conducted in Somaliland during October 2010. For a detailed look at the establishment of civilian government in Somaliland from 1991 to 2001, see the companion case study, “Navigating a Broken Transition to Civilian Rule.”
 
Associated Interview(s):  Adan Yusuf Abokor, Shukri Ismail, Mohamed Fadal

Implementing Standards without the Force of Law: India's Electoral Conduct Code, 1990-2001

Type
Case Studies
Author
Rushda Majeed
Keywords
observers
election commission
code of conduct
competition
caste
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition
Critical Tasks
Legal framework
Poll worker management
Recruitment
Core Challenge
Dispute resolution (compliance)
Country of Reform
India
Full Publication
Implementing Standards Elections_India_ToU_1.pdf
Implementing Standards Elections_India_ToU.txt
Abstract
T.N. Seshan took over as head of the Election Commission of India in 1990, when negative campaigning was on the increase. Candidates appealed to voters on caste and communal lines, sometimes provoking violence. A voluntary Model Code of Conduct, designed to help moderate the excesses of political parties during elections, had lain dormant since its creation 30 years earlier. During the next 11 years, Seshan and his successor, M.S. Gill, worked to elevate the code’s norms and to elicit compliance. Although some campaign excesses persisted, by 2010 the code had become an effective tool for shaping electoral tactics and the behavior of political parties in India. This case offers insights into how to build acceptance of standards that have no force of law.

Rushda Majeed drafted this case on the basis of interviews conducted in New Delhi in November 2010. Case published June 2011.
 
Associated Interview(s):  S.K. Mendiratta, Shri Baijayant Jay Panda

Cooling Ethnic Conflict Over a Heated Election: Guyana, 2001-2006

Type
Case Studies
Author
Varanya Chaubey, Amy Mawson, Gabriel Kuris
Keywords
biometrics
biometric
election commission
voter rolls
voter registry
fingerprinting
media monitoring
inflammatory speech
racial tension
political party
database
information technology
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition
Critical Tasks
Legal framework
Peace councils
Poll worker management
Training
Vote counting
Voter registration
Core Challenge
Dispute resolution (compliance)
Country of Reform
Guyana
Full Publication
Guyana Election ToU_1.pdf
Guyana_Elections_ToU.txt
Abstract
On 28 August 2006, Guyana held its most peaceful election in decades. In previous polls, inefficiencies in the electoral process had fueled rumors of electoral fraud by the ruling party, inflaming violent tensions between Guyana’s two main ethnic groups, the Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese. Ethnicity and party affiliation had long been linked in Guyanese politics. In the run-up to the 2006 vote, the elections commission, international donors and civil society groups worked together to thwart election-related violence. The commission rebuilt trust in the voter registry, decentralized administrative processes, improved field communications and better coordinated security plans. Recognizing the media’s role in fomenting violence, the commission established a Media Monitoring Unit and urged media outlets to cooperate to draft and abide by a new voluntary code of conduct. At the same time, civil society groups instituted a series of peace-building initiatives that included high-level dialogues and grassroots forums. These efforts helped ensure a free and fair election, with results accepted by all parties. Although violence reemerged in 2008, these reforms provided a foundation for renewed counter-efforts before the 2011 elections. This case offers insights to reformers seeking to break the cycle of electoral violence in ethnically divided societies.  
 

Varanya Chaubey drafted this case study with the help of Amy Mawson and Gabriel Kuris on the basis of interviews conducted in Georgetown, Guyana, in May 2009. Case published September 2011.

Associated Interview(s):  Robin Campbell,  Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Calvin Benn, Gocool Boodoo, Remington Eastman, Rupert Roopnaraine, Steve Surujbally

A Path to Peace: Liberia's First Post-War Elections, 2004-2005

Type
Case Studies
Author
Michael Scharff
Keywords
dispute resolution
election schedules
transparency
monitoring
Voter Registration
electoral management body
electoral violence
election commission
vote counting
post-conflict election
results declaration
code of conduct
observers
inter-party committee
hiring election staff
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition
Critical Tasks
Boundary delimitation/districting
Election schedules
Election security
Legal framework
Poll worker management
Recruitment
Training
Vote counting
Voter registration
Core Challenge
Dispute resolution (compliance)
Country of Reform
Liberia
Full Publication
Liberia Post War Election ToU_1.pdf
Liberia_Elections_ToU.txt
Abstract
In 2005, Liberia held its first post-conflict elections, two years after a peace agreement ended 14 years of civil war. Navigating treacherous political waters and facing both time constraints and citizen skepticism, Frances Johnson-Morris, chairwoman of the newly installed National Elections Commission, oversaw a largely peaceful electoral process that ushered in a new legislature and president. A former Supreme Court chief justice, she knew that failure to hold credible elections could plunge the peace process into disarray and send the country back into conflict. To dampen the risk of violence, Johnson-Morris prioritized building citizens’ trust in the commission and took steps to ensure the elections were as inclusive as possible. She established a vetting process to hire qualified staff for the commission and conducted a thorough update of the voter registry that ensured people who lacked standard identification papers could still sign up to vote. Johnson-Morris also oversaw the design of a consultation committee that put political party representatives and elections commission staff in one room, where they could share important messages and formulate unified policy. Ordinary Liberians and independent observers expressed satisfaction with the free, fair and peaceful conduct of the elections.  
 
Michael Scharff drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Monrovia, Liberia, in July 2011 and using interviews conducted by Nealin Parker in August 2008. Case published October 2011.
 
Associated Interview(s):  Thomas Du, Senesee Geso Freeman

Rebooting the System: Technological Reforms in Nigerian Elections, 2010-2011

Type
Case Studies
Author
Gabriel Kuris
Keywords
procurement
elections technology
Voter Registration
voter fraud
rural voter registration
registration audit
monitoring
media relations
electronic voting
Election Management Body
communications
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Critical Tasks
Poll worker management
Voter registration
Core Challenge
Transparency
Country of Reform
Nigeria
Full Publication
Nigeria Elections Final ToU_1.pdf
Nigeria Elections Final ToU.txt
Abstract
In 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed committed reformer Attahiru Jega to chair Nigeria’s electoral commission, building hope that the West African nation would finally break its chain of discredited elections. With under a year to prepare for the April 2011 elections, the commission turned to emerging technologies such as open-source software and social media to register 73 million voters from scratch and open a direct dialogue with the electorate. A small team of young Nigerian engineers guided by Nyimbi Odero pioneered these innovations, many of which contradicted the advice of elections experts. Despite some initial technical difficulties, Nigeria’s homegrown technology enabled the commission to prepare for elections goals on schedule and under budget. The credibility the commission earned helped spur unprecedented levels of voter participation. Ultimately, domestic and international observers validated the 2011 elections as the most free and fair in Nigeria’s history.
 

Gabriel Kuris drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria, in October 2011. Case published March 2012. For a broader analysis of Nigeria's 2011 elections, see "Toward a Second Independence: Repairing Nigeria's Electoral Commission, 2010-2011."

Associated Interview(s): Nyimbi Oderos, Dapo Olorunyomi

 

Toward a Second Independence: Repairing Nigeria's Electoral Commission, 2010-2011

Type
Case Studies
Author
Gabriel Kuris
Keywords
Goodluck Jonathan
Election Violence
Elections
Nigeria
2011 Elections
zoning
Enough is Enough
Muhammadu Buhari
Congress for Progressive Change
People’s Democratic Party
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre
Macarthur Foundation
INEC
Independent National Election Commission
NYSC
National Youth Service Corps
Kaduna
Kano
Modified Open Ballot System
Civil Society Situation Room
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Critical Tasks
Boundary delimitation/districting
Election schedules
Election security
Legal framework
Poll worker management
Recruitment
Training
Vote counting
Core Challenge
Principal-agent problem (delegation)
Country of Reform
Nigeria
Full Publication
Nigeria Elections Jega ToU_1.pdf
Nigeria Elections Jega format_ToU.txt
Abstract

After three flawed national elections, the government of Nigeria faced strong pressure to reform its electoral commission before the 2011 vote. President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Attahiru Jega, a university vice chancellor with a civil society background, to chair the commission and lead reforms. With too little time to overhaul the commission, Jega brought in a small team of trusted advisers and drew upon a support network of civil society groups to extend the commission’s reach. To build credibility, he promoted transparency both within the commission and toward the public, tapped new sources of publicly trusted election workers, created a new voter registry, reformed balloting procedures, and improved cooperation with political parties and government agencies. Despite logistical problems and an outbreak of post-election violence, observers validated the elections as the freest and fairest in Nigerian history.

 
Gabriel Kuris drafted this case study based on interviews he and Rahmane Idrissa conducted in Abuja, Kaduna, Lagos, and Zaria, Nigeria, in September and October 2011, and on an interview Laura Bacon conducted in Washington in November 2012. Case published December 2012. For a closer look at technical innovations in Nigeria’s 2011 elections, particularly in electronic voter registration and the use of social media, see “Rebooting the System: Technological Reforms in Nigerian Elections, 2010-2011."
 
Associated Interview(s):  Attahiru Jega

Thomas Du

Ref Batch
D
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Ref Batch Number
1
Critical Tasks
Election security
Poll worker management
Country of Reform
Liberia
Interviewers
Nealin Parker
Name
Thomas Du
Interviewee's Position
Senior Program Officer
Interviewee's Organization
National Democratic Institute, Liberia
Language
English
Nationality of Interviewee
Liberian
Town/City
Monrovia
Country
Liberia
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
media relations
monitoring
electoral management body
election observers
communications
enfranchising marginalized groups
rural voter registration
voter education
Voter Registration
staff performance
training
polling supplies
Abstract
Thomas Du, senior program officer at the National Democratic Institute in Liberia, explains his organization’s charge to facilitate the country’s transition to democracy by working closely with civil society and by engaging constructively with the government. Du recounts the history of party politics in Liberia, highlighting the racial divisions between dark-skinned natives and lighter-skinned repatriated American settlers, long periods of military rule and rigged elections. Parties proliferated as vehicles for individuals to attain power rather than on ideological grounds while significant portions of the population like youth, illiterates, and unskilled workers were neglected. Du explains the National Election Commission’s choice to be inclusive rather than strict in enforcing all electoral rules that would bar some people and parties from the process. He discusses the weak role of the media in the country and the difficulty of getting appropriate materials to illiterate voters. He touches on some different motivations that may have affected voters’ choices in the 2005 election as they determined what kind of leader they wanted to steer them through the democratic transition safely. Du emphasizes the importance of opening up the process by allowing multiple parties and media sources access to the political arena, while avoiding crowding the field with too many parties or news sources. He endorses developing and implementing rules for interparty competition, defining the roles of different stakeholders, and finding a way for parties to effectively disseminate their ideas to voters. Du analyzes election monitoring in the 2005 election and champions domestic monitoring of elections throughout the full election cycle to establish ownership of the process.  Looking toward future elections, he calls for the involvement of youth and women in civic culture and the cultivation of future leaders.
 
Transcript
Thomas_Du.pdf
Thomas_Du.txt
Profile
At the time of this interview, Thomas Du was the senior program officer at the National Democratic Institute in Liberia. His work at the institute supported the development of civil service infrastructure to assist in building democratic institutions in Liberia. He also studied the successes and failures of these techniques as a means of improvement.
Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
81 MB
Full Audio Title
Thomas Du - Full Interview

Benedict van der Ross

Ref Batch
O
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Ref Batch Number
7
Critical Tasks
Election schedules
Poll worker management
Vote counting
Country of Reform
South Africa
Interviewers
Amy Mawson
Name
Benedict van der Ross
Interviewee's Position
Commissioner, 1994 Elections
Interviewee's Organization
Independent Electoral Commission, South Africa
Language
English
Nationality of Interviewee
South African
Place (Building/Street)
City Lodge Hotel
Town/City
Johannesburg
Country
South Africa
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
Kriegler
South Africa
vote counting
staff performance
results declaration
recruitment
polling supplies
monitoring
election schedules
Election Management Body
dispute resolution
communications
Abstract
Ben van der Ross discusses his role as one of the 11 South African commissioners who served on the country’s Independent Electoral Commission in 1994. He traces the story of the election from the commission’s first meeting in December 1993 through to the election’s closing moments, when problems with vote-counting procedures threatened to derail the country’s transition to democracy. He outlines the many challenges the election commission faced including deep mistrust across the political board, a very tight time frame, continuing party negotiations over the electoral rules and the reluctance of one of the main parties to participate. Van der Ross highlights the vital role played by the commission’s chairman, Johann Kriegler.  He also discusses how the commission overcame logistical hurdles.  
 
Transcript
O7 EL AM Ross_web.pdf
O7 EL AM Ross_web.txt
Headshot
Benjamin_van der Ross.jpg
Profile
Ben van der Ross was working at a South African social development agency, the Independent Development Trust, when he was nominated to be a commissioner for South Africa’s first fully inclusive elections in 1994. After the elections, van der Ross pursued a career in the private sector.
Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
79MB
Full Audio Title
Ben van der Ross Interview

Jorge Guzman

Ref Batch
H
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Ref Batch Number
4
Critical Tasks
Poll worker management
Training
Election schedules
Country of Reform
Sierra Leone
Interviewers
Nealin Parker
Name
Jorge Guzman
Interviewee's Position
Program Manager
Interviewee's Organization
Program Management Unit, UNDP in Sierra Leone
Language
English
Place (Building/Street)
United Nations Program Management Unit
Town/City
Freetown
Country
Sierra Leone
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
electoral management body
UN Policies
Donor Relations
polling supplies
staff performance
training
monitoring
communications
voter education
Voter Registration
codes of conduct
election schedules
Abstract

 Jorge Guzman explains the role of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Program Management Unit (PMU) in the 2007 and 2008 elections in Sierra Leone.  He discusses how to coordinate efforts and negotiate competing requests from donors and national institutions while still operating within the constraints imposed by the UNDP framework.  He describes how tension was minimized through negotiations and steering committee meetings with the diplomatic corps and the government.  He explains how the final election date was kept stable, as constantly changing elements like procurement and recruitment procedures affected timelines.  He describes how the National Election Committee was restructured, with positions being chosen based on merit through a detailed selection process.  He also explains how the transparency and efficiency of the NEC was established through the formation of explicit procedures and guidelines and the publishing of the results of election procedures like registration, the nomination of candidates, and the counting and tallying of votes. He finishes with a discussion of training a diverse group of people, emphasizing the importance of considering context and fostering unity to successfully implement democracy on a day-to-day basis.   

 

Transcript
nealin_parker.pdf
nealin_parker.txt
Profile

At the time of this interview, Jorge Guzman was the program manager of the Program Management Unit for the UNDP in Sierra Leone. He has extensive experience in public relations and administration issues related to elections, having worked with the UN in Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor, Nigeria, and Pakistan. He has been a BRIDGE facilitator, and part of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. 

Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
84 MB
Full Audio Title
Jorge Guzman Interview

Organizing the First Post-Apartheid Election, South Africa, 1994

Type
Case Studies
Author
Amy Mawson
Keywords
election security
election schedules
dispute resolution
vote counting
South Africa
founding election
election commission
Election Management Body
Focus Area(s)
Elections
Reducing Divisive Effects of Competition
Critical Tasks
Election schedules
Election security
Peace councils
Poll worker management
Vote counting
Core Challenge
Dispute resolution (compliance)
Country of Reform
South Africa
Full Publication
Organizing Post Apartheid_South Africa_ToU_1.pdf
Organizing Post Apartheid_ South Africa_ToU.txt
Internal Notes
1.4.13 corrected ANC name in text.
Abstract

South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission faced a daunting task in January 1994.  The newly established body had less than four months to organize and implement the country's first fully inclusive democratic elections.  The stakes were high.  A successful vote would signal a new beginning for the nation after the apartheid era.  Failure could mean civil war.  Choosing suitable polling sites, dealing with parties' distrust, reaching alienated and possibly hostile communities,  addressing potential spoiler issues and remedying shortages of electoral materials posed formidable challenges.  The commission's difficulties snowballed.  In the end, however, all parties accepted the election results and the Government of National Unity went ahead as planned.  The elections offer an example of how an electoral commission can sustain political will-of parties and the public-to overcome administrative shortcomings in extremely sensitive circumstances.  The case study discusses location of polling stations, temporary polling facilities, candidate access, ballots and ballot counting.

Amy Mawson drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa, in February 2010. To learn more about the second post-apartheid elections in South Africa, see "Using Conflict Management Panels to Resolve Tension in the Second Post-Apartheid Election." 

Associated Interview(s):  Johann Kriegler, Howard Sackstein, Benedict van der Ross