For an election to be free and fair, the voting process must follow democratic principles. These call for procedures and measures to guarantee the secrecy of the vote and the security of participants and sites. The electoral system must clearly define voting rules at a safe, accessible and neutral polling site. The ballots used and their design should reinforce the integrity of the process. To attract voters less likely to use traditional voting methods, the system might allow alternatives such as e voting, which poses its own challenges to electoral integrity. At polling stations, competent officials should be present to ensure that voting takes place in compliance with electoral law. There should also be monitors representing political parties, as well as independent observers; these can help detect potential problems, such as discrimination, intimidation and fraud.
Safe, Accessible and Neutral Polling Site Locations
The location of a polling site may affect the integrity of the vote, especially if it is not a neutral, easily accessible or safe location. Voters need to feel protected from political activists and pressure during voting. Polling sites should be in a safe and neutral location, such as a school, sports centre or community hall. They should not be in a private home, on the property of a party representative or in government offices. Electoral sites should also be easily accessible, easy to find and served by public transit.
Professional, Non-Partisan Personnel and Suitable Equipment
Non-partisan, properly trained and competent voting personnel play an essential part in supervising the voting process and ensuring that the necessary measures are taken to maintain order and keep voting secret.
Ballot boxes must be secure. Each should have a sealing mechanism with a serial number or other identifying mark to prevent fraud. Mexico, for example, uses see-through ballot boxes to show that boxes are not pre-stuffed. South Africa labels and numbers all ballot boxes so they cannot be switched without the knowledge of officials. Suitable privacy screens should be set up at polling stations to protect the secrecy of the vote.
Presence of Monitors
Having monitors from various political parties along with domestic observers reduces the risk of collusion with polling station officials to manipulate the results. Monitors usually sign each tally sheet and keep a copy, allowing them to check that results are not changed later. They also monitor the voting process to detect potential problems of discrimination, intimidation and fraud that may arise on election day.
