Once
the count is finished in each voting station, all the electoral materials (the
ballot box with all the used, unused, rejected, spoiled ballots, the electoral
list, unused seals, and other unused materials), as well as relevant forms
needed (especially the statement of the vote, the count sheet, the voting
record book) for the verification of results process. The material is transported to a secure local facility, which may be at the local office
of the electoral management body.
Ability
to check the interim count results received against separate documentation is
essential to avoid mistakes, and prevent any fraud or manipulation of electoral
results. A copy of the original statement of the votes of each voting station
should be sent separately to the local office of the electoral management body,
in a sealed envelope, and a comparison with first results received should be done,
once the original is received.
If
serious fears of fraud exist, a special paper can be used for the statement of
the votes of each voting station. This dark coloured paper (dark blue for
example) immediately indicates that the initial inscription is modified. The
colour around the modified area will fade. A pencil should be used for this
type of paper.
If
modification marks appear on the paper, then special attention can be given to
that specific voting station, and the results of the count. The voting record
book should be checked carefully. If the counting officer made a mistake in
completing the form at the voting station, then he/she should add his/her
initials, or signature, as well as those of party and candidate representatives
to denote agreement with the correction.
In most
instances, a first verification of the electoral materials received, using a
check list and an acknowledgement of receipt form, should be done by officials
of the electoral management body to make sure that each ballot box and
everything associated with the audit trail is delivered, and that forms are
properly completed and signed.
The
sealed envelopes (if applicable) containing the statement of the vote of each
voting station are opened, in the presence of representatives of political
parties and candidates, and the contents verified. In the event of a mistake,
the counting officers are still available, so if a form is not signed or
properly completed (wrong number of voting station for example), proper
modification can be done immediately in the presence of representatives of
political parties and candidates. If the discrepancies cannot be explained and
corrected at this stage, the voting station’s results can be quarantined for
further investigation by specially appointed audit teams. A more exhaustive
quality control can take place in the following days, but it should be done as
soon as possible, so that an audit trail of final results is carefully verified
and completed.
A table
chart, with the number of each ballot box (if any) is frequently created by the
electoral management body, and used to verify that every ballot box that was
issued to voting stations has been returned. Numbering the ballot boxes is a
simple and effective way to keep track of them.
Clear
problem-solving procedures must be established to track down any ballot boxes
that are late in arriving, or are not delivered within a reasonable amount of
time.
For
each electoral district, the local office of the electoral management body
produces a cumulative statement of the votes. This cumulative count usually
includes information such as:
- the name of the electoral district,
- the number or code (if any),
- the date,
- the names of persons in charge of completing the form,
- the number of votes for each candidate or party,
- the total number of votes cast,
- total numbers of rejected ballots, and
- the total number of voters for each voting station and
voting option, ballot-box-by-ballot-box.
Once the statement of votes form and other
verifications checks been completed satisfactory, the supervising officer will
sign off on the results, which should be properly documented using a
standardized form for this very purpose. Based on this verification, a detailed
report can be prepared for the official results of each electoral district,
recording each voting stations’ results.
