Voting Day Equipment and Maintenance Considerations

Equipment for use in elections comes from a wide variety of sources and in many different shapes, sizes and possible functions which can be quite confusing.

There are essential issues that require consideration in determining the range, method of acquisition and maintenance of election-related equipment.

Legislative definitions of equipment for use by the electoral management body: It can be useful to include the functions that equipment serves in legislation.

There needs to be a balance between too restrictive a legislative definition of the materials from which equipment, or its components, must be made as it can restrict the ability of the electoral management body to take advantages of technological change or new materials available in the market.

The election environment: Different equipment configurations will be more suitable for different climatic, security, and maintenance support conditions.

Equipment should meet the following conditions to be effective:

• capable of performing under, for example, extremes of heat, dust, or humidity, when these are likely to be encountered;

• capable of providing high levels of security where security risks are high (or conversely has high security features where these are not necessary);

• capable of being understood by its likely operators and/or voters;

• can be maintained and logistical supported locally;

• not waste resources, no matter how low the initial cost.

Costs and benefits to voter service: It is necessary to consider cost effectiveness when evaluating potential equipment acquisitions.

Equipment should bring real and reliable benefits to voter service in a cost-effective manner more than promote a progressive corporate image for the electoral management body.

Management Issues

The electoral management body needs to carefully plan equipment provision at both the strategic and operational levels to ensure effective and economical supply of all election equipment needs.

The following are significant matters requiring consideration when developing equipment management programs:

• integrate equipment management programs with the overall election planning process so that appropriate equipment types and acquisition timing is achieved;

• establish reliable source data for the quantities of equipment required, the locations at which they are be required, and the links to systems providing voter registration data and voting station location data;

• plan equipment needs well in advance to ensure that required equipment is available in sufficient time for use, and to avoid any penalty costs of last-minute acquisitions. Pay special attention to items with long supply lead times, either due to complex and/or innovative design specifications, or sourcing from distant or international sources;

• develop detailed specifications for all equipment needs to ensure that the functionality required of equipment is achieved;

• dmplement accurate systems for monitoring equipment on hand i.e. quantities, locations, movements, and monitoring the acquisition process, to aid reviews of election readiness and provide an audit trail for equipment management;

• ensure that acquisition methods are cost-effective. Since most election equipment will be used infrequently, the possibilities of hire or lease for durable equipment, or use of disposable equipment, may be considered;

• ensure that all uses of equipment are considered in the planning of required equipment quantities and delivery timing. Equipment is required not only on voting day, but for earlier activities such as election officials training, public information, voter education, as well as post election functions such as dealing with election challenges and maintenance programmes.

Further information on specific classes of election equipment can be found at:

Communications Systems
Ballot Boxes and Seals
Voting Compartments
Temporary Structures
Furniture
Amenities

Quality Control

Before entering into a contract to supply election equipment there is a need for electoral management bodies to ensure that implementation of an acceptable production quality control plan is a necessary condition in contracts for supply of equipment.

Evaluation and approval by the electoral management body of suppliers' quality control plans is necessary for ensuring that equipment supplied meets requirements. In some cases the electoral management body may want to implement its own additional quality control measures on production of essential equipment.

In general, more effective controls can be maintained over equipment quality under the following conditions:

• clear and accurate specifications for equipment requirements have been provided by the Electoral Management Body to suppliers;

• equipment is ordered only from reputable suppliers, preferably accredited under the International Standards Organisation (ISO) series of quality benchmarks;

• equipment is produced locally, enabling on-site production inspections by electoral management body staff, and shorter time delays in identifying quality deficiencies;

• a rigorous pre-delivery testing regime is instituted for all equipment to ensure that it meets specifications.

A consideration for electoral management bodies is that supply from other countries can make it difficult for the them have any oversight of quality issues until the equipment is delivered, which may be too late to remedy deficiencies properly.

Disposable Equipment

Recent development of disposable voting station equipment such as ballot boxes, voting compartments, or booths, and furniture made of corrugated cardboard or plastic sheeting;-provide lightweight, easily transportable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional durable equipment while meeting election security and transparency requirements.

In many environments disposable equipment represents a more practical alternative to holding large stocks of durable equipment for infrequent use. Where lightweight cardboard equipment is used, assembly methods should form part of election official training, and assembly instructions should be provided with the equipment.

A further side benefit may accrue from using disposable cardboard equipment in general, namely, where schools are used as voting stations, the disposable cardboard ballot boxes, voting compartments, and barriers can be left at the school for use by teachers and civic educators in continuing voter education for students.

Assurance of Performance

Methods of assurance that all election equipment will perform to the expected standard on voting day are necessary. Performance assurance methods require the preparation of detailed specifications, thorough testing, and implementation of continuing maintenance programmes.

Equipment storage

Equipment comprises a substantial portion of any election budget and consideration needs to be given to proper and effective storage between elections, especially if it is non durable

Costs of storage vs Costs of replacing equipment: This is especially relevant to disposable equipment or equipment that depreciates due to the rapid advancement in usable technology.

Safety: It is necessary to store equipment in a safe lock up area

Inventory: It is good practice to prepare a detailed inventory of the items being stored, the number of items, and the condition they are in at the time of storage and the estimated value. If items are being stored at different venues keep a list of where each item is stored.

Size of venue: The venue should have sufficient space to store the equipment without damage .

Temperature: Ensure that equipment that may be damaged in temperatures that are either too damp in or moist is stored in a suitable environment.

Maintenance

As a general rule, if the resources and storage facilities are not available for proper maintenance of durable equipment, it would be a waste of money to acquire it.

Regular maintenance checks (at the least at six-monthly intervals) of all durable equipment in storage prevents equipment failure during voting operations. Particular attention should be paid to regular testing of electronic and communications equipment.

Where special equipment is used to maintain voter eligibility controls-such as ultra-violet or other special lamps or fingerprint readers--particular care also needs to be taken with their maintenance.

It is highly preferable to develop formal maintenance and testing schedules for all durable equipment and ensure that reports on results are brought to the attention of senior electoral management body officials.

Sensible precautions for maintaining equipment in good condition need to be remembered, such as removing batteries from battery-operated equipment before it is placed in storage.

Testing of all equipment prior to it being shipped to voting stations will guard against the provision of useless items. It is also prudent to require that voting station managers thoroughly test all equipment in the voting station following installation, both to ensure that the equipment is in good working condition and that they know how to operate it.

Ballot Boxes and Seals

Ballot box design is of considerably varied nature, including:

• clear high density plastic construction (allowing highly visible proof that the ballots are not being tampered with);

• metal;

• other durable plastic construction;

• lightweight, disposable ballot boxes made of corrugated cardboard or, for multiple day use, corrugated plastic sheet;

• acceptable to all stakeholders including contesting political parties and voters. For example transparent ballot boxes may be necessary in some countries, whereas in others disposable ballot boxes may not be acceptable.

• the size of the ballot box taking into an account the number of estimated voters. In a highly conflicted environment it may be necessary to have one large ballot box sufficient to contain all estimated voters to avoid increasing tension due to mistrust between the participating stakeholders including voters, political party poll watchers and national observers.

• the maximum number of voters to be processed in a voting station (and hence the number of ballots) and ballot size.

• ensure that once the ballot box has been sealed, ballots cannot be removed from the ballot box without breaking security seals or locks.

• when folded in the correct manner, pass easily through the insertion slot .Some designs include a lockable slide to seal the ballot paper insertion slot; this more expensive option may provide no more security than covering the slot at close of voting with security tape.

• size - the weight of the construction material can mitigate larger size ballot boxes made of durable materials; no such restriction applies to cardboard ballot boxes.

These can be produced in a range of sizes, from the very compact and easily portable (for use by mobile voting stations) to large floor standing models that allow a single ballot box to be used for voting stations servicing large numbers of voters.

Appropriate Materials

The effectiveness of ballot boxes is not necessarily in the strength of the material or the size of the lock. Lightweight cardboard ballot boxes when sealed properly offer no less security or transparency than those made of durable materials. When considering their lower transport costs, negligible storage and maintenance costs, and flexibility as to size, they are more cost-effective.

They may not be suitable for some environments, however, particularly in wet or very humid conditions (though similarly lightweight, disposable corrugated plastic ballot boxes can be).

Durable Ballot Boxes

Where durable ballot boxes are used, proper maintenance is important:

• in ensuring that they are all retrieved from voting stations;

• that regular stock takes are undertaken;

• that they are regularly inspected in storage;

• necessary repairs are made or replacements obtained.

Ballot Box Quantities

Quantities of ballot boxes required at each voting station will depend on a number of factors in the legal and procedural framework.

Significant amongst these are:

• the number of voters expected;

• the size of the ballot paper;

• the capacity of the ballot box;

• the number of different ballot papers to be completed or separate elections being held simultaneously;

• whether the voting station is split into different polling streams for different polling subdivisions.

A general rule is to:

• keep the number of ballot boxes to be dealt with at a voting station to a minimum as the most practicable course;

• have separate ballot boxes for each voting subdivision where there are different polling subdivision voting streams in one voting station, to allow effective reconciliations of voting materials;

• have separate ballot boxes where simultaneous elections are being held. While this has no real bearing on integrity, it can save time at the start of the counting process. Where voter numbers are low, a single ballot box can be used.

Unique Identification of Ballot Boxes

Where ballots are to be transported to separate counting centers, it is essential that unique identification codes be clearly marked on each ballot box and recorded before delivery to the voting station.

This unique coding can also be necessary when counting takes place at the voting station, especially if otherwise unidentified ballot boxes are used for different elections or voting subdivisions ballots in the voting station.

Seals for Ballot Boxes

Tamper-proof sealing of ballot boxes is one of the basic guarantees of voting integrity. Ballot boxes must be sealed from the commencement of voting through to their opening, after the close of voting, for removal of ballot boxes for the count.

Where ballot boxes are also used as the container for transporting accountable materials to the voting station and from the count back to the electoral management body, they will also need to be sealed for these shipments.

The following methods of sealing can be considered:

• One method of sealing ballot boxes is a uniquely numbered keyed lock or locks. It is appropriate to seal, with a paper seal, wax, or some other method, over the keyhole of each lock when it is affixed to the ballot box.

• Another method is uniquely numbered plastic or nylon security tied seals. Numbered plastic security tied seals are effective and generally more practicable.

• Assembly joins may be further secured by the use of security tape where disposable ballot boxes are used.

Whether plastic security ties or traditional locks are used, these are liable items that need to be maintained securely. To ensure the integrity of the process accurately record their use on each ballot box used in voting stations.

The quantities of seals required will depend on the number and design of ballot boxes. Sufficient seals should be on hand in each voting station to cover all sealing points for all required and re-sealing of the boxes.

• Durable ballot boxes normally have two sealing points, on a hinged lid and on a sealing slide on the slot.

• Designs for disposable ballot boxes of two-piece construction (separate lid) normally have four sealing points (at each top corner).

• Single piece constructions (fold-down lid) have two sealing points.

Voting Compartments

The purpose of voting compartments, or voting booths, is to allow voters to mark or select their choices of candidate or party in secret. It does not require expensive (in both production and storage terms) durable equipment.

Where "mark choice" ballots are used, and no tables are available in the voting station, it will need to be of solid free-standing or interlocked construction and contain a strong writing tray.

Design

Common alternatives in styles of voting compartments include:

Table-top models: need be little more than a simple double or single fold piece of corrugated cardboard, which can be taped to a table, or of durable wood, plastic, or metal.

These should be of sufficient height to prevent voters in adjoining compartments being able to view each other's ballots. Where table-top or free-standing compartments are used, the writing area within the compartment should preferably be wide and deep enough to allow the ballot paper to be placed on it without having to be folded and the height of the compartment above the writing surface level sufficient to prevent voters in adjoining compartments from viewing each other's ballot paper.

Free-standing voting compartments, of disposable corrugated cardboard or durable wood, metal, or plastic. Durable equipment of this nature is bulky and expensive to store, maintain in good repair, and transport.

If durable construction, storage and transport costs can be reduced if voting compartments can be kept in permanent, secure storage at the voting site, particularly for voting stations in rural areas. This will presume the availability of the same voting sites for successive elections. Where free-standing compartments are normally used, at least one table-top version should be issued to each voting station for the use of disabled voters.

Drop cloths of dark or opaque fabric, with the addition of some nails, can be cost-effectively used to curtain off areas in which a table can be placed. In the same, but more design-conscious, vein, commercially produced compartments, featuring cloth hanging from a supporting frame, are also available, at a cost.

Fundamental to the choice of the voting compartment is that voting remains secret. Even split cardboard boxes, taped to a tabletop, may be suitable in an emergency. Where voters mark their choice of party or candidate on the ballot paper, voting compartments should contain some means of attaching a pen or pencil to the compartment.

Where normal tables with a makeshift screen are used, this could be as simple as attaching the writing implements with tape or string. Specially designed voting compartments with a self contained writing surface would preferably have a drilled hole through which the writing implement can be attached.

Disposable Cardboard Compartments

Disposable free-standing compartments need to be rigid and solid when assembled. Some voters are likely to place young children, briefcases, or the morning's shopping on the writing surface while completing their vote. Most fully recycled corrugated board does not have sufficient strength.

Best results generally come from using corrugated board made from a mix of recycled and virgin pulp. Effective construction normally means an interlocking design in which each screen is supported by the one on either side.

Using cardboard voting compartments will allow printing of voting instructions directly onto the side of the compartment directly facing the voter rather than having to print and affix separate instruction posters.

Quantities Required

Quantities of voting compartments supplied to each voting station depend on:

• the number of voters to be serviced;

• the times the voting station is open;

• the average time estimated for each voter to vote;

• the number of ballot papers to complete;

• the complexity of the voting procedure. For example exhaustively marked full preferential ballot papers take longer to complete than those on which a single mark is placed.

Sufficient voting compartments need to be provided to each voting station to allow a smooth flow of voters through the voting station. Insufficient voting compartments cause delays in voting. Ballot papers should only be issued to voters when there is a vacant voting compartment. Conversely, if ballot papers continue to be issued when all voting compartments are occupied, voting secrecy is likely to be compromised as voters may then complete their ballot papers in the open.

Supply quantities of voting compartments in various jurisdictions are generally in the range of one compartment for every one to two hundred voters, depending on the factors listed above.

In France, using an enveloped voting system where the voter chooses which party or candidate ballot to place in the voting envelope, the ratio is one screen to two hundred voters.

For Australian national elections, where each voter has to complete two ballot papers, one a fully marked preferential vote and the other a ballot which can be marked with a single party reference or an exhaustive preferential numbering of candidates, the ratio is one compartment to every 120 voters.

Larger quantities of compartments need to be allocated to specific voting stations where voters may take longer than average to complete their vote. These groups include:

• aged voters;

• voters unfamiliar with voting procedures;

• voters of lower literacy

• voters from minority language groups.

Temporary Structures

Voting stations that are located in areas that have no suitable permanent premises for voting will require the use of temporary structures.

Appropriate temporary structures vary in style, according to local costs, weather conditions, and transport availability.

Typically, tents or canvas or plastic sheeting shelters would be used and delivered for erection with the voting materials. However, some other solutions have proven effective when available and suitable transport can be provided. Shipping containers, for example, can make effective portable voting stations. They also have the added advantage of providing adequate security for materials if delivered on site prior to voting day.

In environments where there is little risk of inclement weather and where voting in the open is an accepted practice, it may be possible to dispense with any structure and have the voting station area merely delimited with ropes or similar barriers. Mobile voting stations catering to very small numbers of people at a voting location may be able to dispense with temporary structures or barriers altogether.

Light/Power

Lighting equipment needs to be supplied with portable structures or permanent structures without reliable electricity if the voting station set-up, voting, or counting is to continue through hours of darkness.

The supply of generators and portable lights may be necessary for larger voting stations. Where this is not cost-effective or feasible, gas or battery lamps can be suitable--preferably battery powered, for safety reasons.

It is important that operating instructions are supplied with this equipment. It is necessary to ensure that voting officials are given adequate training on how to use temporary lighting supplies as they may be unfamiliar with, for example, safe methods of replacing gas cylinders on gas lamps.

Furniture

When identifying premises it is highly preferable that premises that already have sufficient furniture on site are used as voting stations. Schools, in particular, are likely to meet furniture needs. Delivering and retrieving furniture from voting stations, particularly bulky items such as tables, can be costly.

Sources of Additional Furniture

The following sources can be considered when additional furniture is required for voting sites:

Other government sources: Loan or rental may be arranged from other government agencies. Government surplus stores may also hold stocks of useable furniture.

Private furniture leasing contractors

Purchase of disposable corrugated cardboard furniture. Disposable cardboard two-person tables for voting officials, crowd control barriers, and rubbish receptacles have been developed in some jurisdictions.

Costs for tables, in particular, can compare favorably with leasing costs for durable items, especially when transport is considered. For examples of design specifications for disposable corrugated cardboard furniture for voting stations, see the following:

It is very unlikely that there will be any justification for the Electoral Management Body to purchase durable furniture for voting station use although in some less developed environments the purchase of furniture may be the only option to ensure that voting stations can function effectively if there is insufficient private leasing or other government stocks available.

If furniture does have to be acquired, specifications would preferably ensure that it is of future wide utility in other public sector activities.

Furniture Requirements

The amount of furniture required for a voting station depends on the staffing levels and numbers of expected voters. The essential basic requirements include:

• Tables and chairs available in good condition and sufficient for use by voting staff, in voting compartments (if required), as ballot box stands (if required), party or candidate representatives and observers, and to provide seating for elderly or physically challenged voters;

• Barriers to direct voter traffic flow and maintain queue control, as simple and cost-effective as rope strung between poles or as corporate image conscious as the cardboard equipment whose specifications are linked above.

Additional furniture requirements, such as secure storage cabinets and waste bins, may also be useful. 

Amenities

To provide an acceptable standard of amenities for staff (who will be spending a very long day within the confines of the voting station) and for voters, additional equipment may be required. Before doing so electoral management bodies need to ensure that basic services are available at the voting site. Where there are deficiencies the following may need to be obtained:

• lighting, where voting or counting is undertaken after daylight hours;

• toilet facilities;

• drinking water;

• food.

Lighting and associated power generators would preferably be obtained from other government agencies (such as military forces) or leased from private contractors.

Leasing of portable toilets (at a ratio of one to every 400 to 500 voters expected) is preferable to having voting staff, as their first duty on voting day, digging latrines.

There is generally little justification for the purchase of these items, though stocks of small-scale lighting equipment (torches and lamps) can be held by the electoral management body.

Voting stations with no running water available can be assisted by, visits from local government or military water tankers may be arranged. Small quantities of drinking water for use by voting staff may be delivered with voting materials. 

Sensitive vs. Non-Sensitive Material

The material required for conducting elections varies from basic stationery such as pens, papers and rulers, to voters’ lists, validation marks and ballot papers. The election management body has the responsibility to manage the wide range of material and equipment in a way that ensures the confidence of the electorate and the contesting parties in their ability to conduct the election in an efficient and impartial way. The material can be categorized into sensitive and non sensitive material.

Sensitive Material

Sensitive material refers to items such as:

• validation seals that are placed on ballot papers to verify their authenticity. This is especially necessary during the counting process;

• ballot papers;

• voters lists;

• computers - this is particularly relevant in systems where the voters list is computerized or electronic voting is used;

• ballot paper stamps;

• indelible ink where this is used as means of verification to prevent duplicate voting;

• voters identity cards;

• ballot box seals.

Non sensitive material

Items such as:

• voting equipment, that is, voting compartments, ballot boxes, tables, chairs;

• stationery – pens, paper, rulers, erasers;

• tape for cordoning off the voting area or indicating where voters may or may not queue,

Security

While all equipment needs to be adequately stored, storage of sensitive material in particular is extremely important. To ensure maximum security most electoral management bodies allocate this responsibility to senior election staff such as District Electoral Officers who in turn may designate this responsibility to the Electoral Manager.

These election officials work closely with the relevant security forces (where the security forces have the trust of the public) or make alternative arrangements for additional security. In some countries election staff to agree to abide by a Code of Conduct that binds them to confidentiality regarding sensitive material