Training and
education efforts are conventionally focused on (a) training for electoral
officials on technical aspects of the preparation and implementation of
electoral processes; and (b) educational campaigns for registrants and
voters about their rights, duties, electoral timelines, and registration and
voting procedures, inter alia.
Deficiencies in
the training of electoral officials, along with potential misunderstandings of the
electoral process among political actors, the media and the general public, may
raise tensions and contribute to deepening conflict and potential outbreaks of
violence. Further, they may result in inadequate protection for populations
that are especially vulnerable or are commonly subject to less well understood
forms of electoral violence, such as women and disabled persons.
One of the main
pillars of professionalism in electoral administration is the proper training
and development of: permanent EMB staff; temporary management staff appointed
for specific electoral events; and the large number of field staff that may be
temporarily engaged for large-scale events.[1]
Poorly trained
electoral officials may lack the basic understanding and skills to conduct professional
voter registration, voting and counting processes. Technical mistakes committed
during voter registration may affect the accuracy of the electoral registers,
thus damaging the integrity of voting processes at the polling stations, and
thereby the election results.
Empirical cases:
Somaliland presidential
elections in 2008. In 2007 the parliament of
Somaliland decided to mandate the National Election Commission (NEC) to implement
a sophisticated dual identification voter registration system, with
fingerprints and paper identification cards. The process was, however, marred by
flaws, many of which were attributed to poor training of the staff that
conducted the registration process. These weaknesses were exploited by
individual voters and clan leaders to their advantage, which in turn led to
clashes over the system’s viability. Due to fears of renewed conflicts the NEC
resigned.[2]
“When presidential elections scheduled for April 2008 were repeatedly postponed
due to a problematic voter registration process, insufficiencies in the
National Election Commission (NEC), and intransigence among the political
parties, the president’s term of office was repeatedly extended by the Upper
House of Elders (the Guurti). “As political tensions spilled over into violent
street protests in September 2009, Somaliland faced its most severe political
challenge since the civil war of 1994-1996”.[3]
Interrelated factors: Poor performance
of electoral management body, inadequate funding, financing and budgeting,
provocative and violent actions by political parties, conflicts related to
changing power dynamics.
[2] Forero, Owens, Pierce, Pitea, Ramey Rosenbaum,
Tesfaye, Vu, and Yi, Project Advisor: Jeff Fischer: ‘Elections and Conflict in
Sub-Saharan Africa 2013’: Somaliland, Côte D’Ivoire, and Kenya, Princeton
University, Woodrow Wilson School February 2013
[3] Social Research and Development Institute (SORADI), 2010, ‘Somaliland,
Facing the Challenges of Free and Fair Elections’, available at: < https://ke.boell.org/sites/default/files/somaliland_-_challenges_of_elections_1.pdf
> accessed on 20 September 2018
