If the electoral administration
doesn't have an adequate staff it may encounter integrity problems
resulting from ignorance or error. Hiring the right person for a job will make
the system work better, eliminating many potential integrity problems. The
right person is usually someone with professional experience, attitude and
training and upholds principles of
professional conduct.
To create an election
management body with a professional, honest and dedicated staff, the following
factors should be taken into consideration:
Develop
a strict staffing procedure
One of the first steps for an
electoral management body should be to determine its internal structure and its
staffing procedure. Electoral administrators may draw up an
organizational chart delineating the responsibilities of the different
divisions and staff members.
Most divisions of an electoral
management body are formed according to the function they perform and the
responsibilities they fulfill—management, internal administration (including
human resources), finance, operations, legal services, technical support and
public relations. Charting of staffing and working procedures can facilitate
the development of a rational staffing model. A statement of clear objectives
for each division and each staff member may avert integrity problems that could
arise if employees are unclear about their responsibilities, and may prevent
duplication of tasks.
Distributing the
organizational chart to all employees ensures that all know how they fit into
the overall structure, how the chain of command works, what their
responsibilities are, to whom they must report and how information flows
through the system.
An organizational chart can
help maintain integrity in recruitment since it tells human resources managers
how many people they need to hire, what the job requirements are for a
particular position and who is the supervisor for that position. Since a chart
also ranks personnel according to responsibilities, it enables each position to
be classified on a professional and salary scale. If this system is adhered to,
it can help ensure that qualified people are hired for the right position and
receive pay commensurate with their level of work.
An organizational chart may
serve as a monitoring tool because it indicates the supervisor for each staff
member. Staff supervision is another important element in safeguarding election
integrity.
Recruit
through competition
Integrity requires that staff
be recruited on the basis of merit, not favouritism. Advertising open positions
is a way of inviting applications from people with the appropriate
qualifications. Enough time should be allowed for the information to circulate
and for interested people to apply.
Establish
written personnel policies
Integrity requires
standardized personnel policies to ensure that all employees are treated
equally and know their rights and responsibilities. Policies should be written
down and distributed to all employees.
Most public sector employers,
including electoral administrators, include standards of professional behaviour
and a code of ethics in their personnel hiring, management and retention policies.
The penalties for breaches of the code are usually specified.
Offer
competitive pay for professional staff
The payroll is a significant
part of an election budget and is usually kept to a minimum when funds are low.
However, low pay for electoral workers can create integrity problems, such as:
- lower productivity,
slowdowns or strikes;
- temptation for employees
to use their position as a means of supplementing their income by
demanding user fees or accepting gratuities, bribes or gifts;
- employee theft of
supplies or equipment needed to run an election;
- a possibility that
employees will fail to deliver electoral materials (such as voters lists,
tally sheets or ballots) to support pay demands;
- the danger that
disgruntled employees will accept payoffs to tamper with the process, or
close their eyes to irregularities.
Unhappy employees have been a
major source of integrity problems in several elections. For example, in Haiti’s 2000 elections, election workers in
northern districts refused to receive training unless they received better pay.
The result was that election materials could not be delivered to polling
stations until the morning of the election.
Provide
training
Election workers must be
properly trained so that they can act to promote integrity rather than cause
integrity problems. In addition to understanding how to do their jobs, workers
need to know about general integrity issues and the control mechanisms built
into the system to safeguard integrity. The integrity of the electoral process will
be reinforced if election workers become familiar with the complaints process
and are encouraged to make suggestions for improving the system. Good training
can substantially reduce errors that are the cause of many integrity problems.
It also helps deter attempts to subvert the system since it makes employees and
employers aware of the control mechanisms in place and how to use them.
Ensure
supervision
Effective supervision is
another tool for promoting integrity and sound management. It can help ensure
that employees do their jobs effectively and in the professional and ethical
manner required for free, fair and credible elections. Supervisors can identify
problem employees and areas, and ensure that necessary corrective measures are
taken.
