In developing voting operations work plans, it is important that:
• each required task is identified;
• the time frames within which each task must be completed is specified;
• dependencies and relationships among the various tasks are clearly shown;
• specific persons or teams are assigned responsibility for each component task.
A clear assignment of responsibilities allows for effective monitoring of performance and prevents the break down of accountability mechanisms. In the pressured environment of voting operations it is easy for seemingly low level, yet critical, tasks to be forgotten.
Clearly identify individuals responsible for tasks and ensure that they know that they have responsibility for their completion. Many voting operations tasks also have an accompanying legal responsibility for their correct completion.
It is critical that those assigned responsibility for tasks are made fully aware of both their own responsibilities and how these inter-relate with other voting operations activities. Providing staff with the appropriate legislation, regulations, and rules, and manuals and checklists for all activities will assist with this.
Focussing on the personal and positive aspect to responsibility assignment can enhance performance. Identifying and promoting individual accountabilities can raise staff self-fulfilment and lead to enhanced performance.
Task Assignment and Electoral Management Body Structure
The actual pattern of responsibility assignment depends on the electoral management body's administrative structure and any legally defined accountability.
Too many responsibilities assigned to centralised levels of authority wastes available expertise and limits its further development in any local or field offices. There is a need to ensure that staff that should be ensuring overall supply, quality, consistency, and integrity are not overloaded with distracting operational tasks at local levels.
Voting is a localised function. Materials development and production, standards, procedures and quality control are generally more consistent and effective where centrally driven. Local functions--such as voting staff recruitment and training delivery, voting location determination, local logistics--can generally be more effectively conducted if responsibilities for their implementation are at the regional or local level.
Maintain Accountability for Service Provision
Many functions included in voting operations work plans will require contributions from different areas of the electoral management body and/or liaison between the electoral management body and other organisations. Where such liaison is required, work plans must identify the operational staff within the electoral management body with the accountability for task completion and the liaison structures that will be in place.
Even where voting operations functions are contracted to other organisations, it is vital that accountabilities for ensuring these tasks are completed correctly and are still assigned to specific persons within the electoral management body. These accountabilities should carry with them the task of implementing quality control measures to ensure that the products or services are provided at least to the standard required under contract.
Task Assignment in Voting Stations
At the voting station level developing work plans that assign specific task responsibilities to particular staff can both increase the efficiency of training and assist in voter service, while maintaining some flexibility.
