For voting operations staff training to be effective, it needs to be fully supported by appropriate materials, equipment, and logistics planning. These are additional and necessary training costs which must be considered when developing voting operations budgets
Face-to-face training sessions are generally the most effective way to train voting operations staff. Effective implementation will require considerable organisation in terms of selecting appropriate locations, allocating staff to training sessions, developing training materials and aids, identifying and training suitable trainers and, often, transportation arrangements. Even where face-to-face sessions are not feasible, staff who are provided with quality reference and training materials from which to train themselves, will be more capable of fulfilling their responsibilities properly.
The materials, equipment, logistics, and management support required for voting operations staff training will vary according to the training methodology adopted (for alternative training methodologies, see Training Methodology). For example, using a simultaneous training model is likely to require more intensive facilities and greater quantities of materials (and hence be more expensive) than other models.
Training Locations
Potential training locations need to be identified and reserved in the same way and usefully at the same time as are voting station sites. Site standards required are discussed in detail at Where training is occurring in local facilities, through cascade or mobile training team methods, there may be efficiencies in using intended voting station locations as training venues (if they meet the facilities standard required), particularly if these are schools or other government buildings available on demand for election purposes.
Training Materials
The quantity of materials required for voting operations staff training sessions needs to be considered when determining overall order quantities for election materials. Where early or continuous training programs are in place, early delivery of a proportion of election materials may need to be arranged to meet training needs.
It is vital for training effectiveness that, from the time of preparation of training materials through to the election, that there is a period of stability in the legal and procedural frameworks for voting operations.
Materials required fall into several basic categories:
• reference materials and guidelines for voting operations staff;
• training reference materials and aids for trainers;
• materials to be used in demonstrations and simulations of voting station activity.
The construction of training materials kits for polling officials is useful, where these can be packaged (possibly by staff packing voting station materials) without significant additional cost. These can contain both reference materials and examples of forms and material to be used in voting stations.
Reference Materials
Development of reference materials should be closely controlled by the electoral management body, if not actually undertaken by it. If voting operations staff reference materials are to be produced by contractors or independently by other organisations, the electoral management body must the power of preproduction approval and prevent distribution of any material that does not conform to correct procedures and practices.
Provision of a manual to each and every voting operations official is a vital component of maintaining election integrity. Voting operations officials undertaking the same tasks need full and identical information on their responsibilities and correct procedures. Extracts from election law, or ad hoc collections of intermittent directions from electoral or judicial authorities are not sufficient. Manuals can be usefully supported by check lists and cue cards providing handy reference to voting operations officials and other staff on specific tasks.
Cost-cutting by providing manuals only to voting station managers, or having group use of reduced manual stocks, is likely to lead to confusion and possible improper decisions on voting day. Wherever possible, staff should receive their reference materials before they attend any face-to-face training sessions.
Where there are significant differences in levels of responsibilities of voting operations officials, or in their tasks, for example, between voting stations managers and other voting station staff, between staff working in ordinary voting stations and those staffing early, absentee, mobile or other special voting facilities, it would be preferable that specific manuals, addressing their particular tasks, were produced for similar categories of officials. Organising manuals (and training) on a modular base makes such differentiation easier.
Development of Trainers' Manuals
While training should be based on the contents of the voting operations staff manuals, training session content and presentation requirements themselves need to be properly defined in separate trainers manuals, to assure consistency and assist quality of training presentation. Again, each trainer should be provided with their own copy of such manuals, as well as of the procedures manuals on which training is based.
If inexperienced trainers are being used, which is particularly likely to occur under a cascade methodology it is essential that they are fully supported by manuals or guidelines on presentation styles.
Other Support Materials
Apart from reference materials, other support material will be required according to the specifications of the training session plans, such as slide, video and audio materials, and overhead transparencies, to aid demonstrations and actual election equipment and material so that skills learned can be practised during training in a voting station atmosphere.
Examples of all election forms to be used by polling officials should be available and practice in their use integrated into the session. Ballot boxes, seals, voting compartments, signage, and voting machines or computers (where used in voting stations) should also be available so that voting simulations can be conducted in a more realistic environment.
Training Structure and Materials Planning
Where cascade or mobile training team models are used, much of the material provided can be reused or will be required in lesser quantities. Using mobile training teams with appropriate transport facilities:
• equipment can be carried with the training teams, rather than fresh sets provided at each location;
• materials, apart from those retained by polling officials for reference, may also be able to be re-used in multiple training sessions.
Similarly, under cascade training models, staggering of training in adjacent localities can provide opportunities for sharing of materials. Simultaneous training models generally offer no such materials economies.
Training Logistics
Logistics planning requirements will vary according to whether training is decentralised to local areas or concentrated in central or regional centres. Under cascade training arrangements there will generally be relatively few (if any) staff with significant transportation requirements and possible need for accommodation during the training period. Regional trainers may need to be brought to a central point for training, and support for staff monitoring decentralised training sessions provided, but beyond that generally only local travel will be involved.
Where mobile training teams are used, itinerary scheduling and planning will be a significant part of training organisation. Significant transportation support will generally be required for the trainers themselves, and will usually require coordination from a central or regional base. Mobile communications facilities will be of benefit for such teams.
Simultaneous training models will require considerably more logistics support, in coordinating all resources to be available at a single or multiple points on the one day.
They may also involve some transportation and accommodation support for voting operations officials as well as trainers, if training staff resources are limited to the extent that training can only be undertaken at a restricted number of more centralised locations.
