Electoral integrity requires an atmosphere free of fear, intimidation or manipulation on election day. Security during the election process is critical, especially during voting, vote counting and transmission of the results. A peaceful election environment facilitates a free, fair and credible election, and avoids security problems that could compromise the integrity of records, turnout or election results.
Voters must be able to vote without fear, and monitors must be able to observe without intimidation. Candidates must be able to campaign without the fear that their supporters will be killed or harmed. To ensure integrity, electoral administrators need to be able to plan and conduct elections without interference, and election materials must be safeguarded from tampering that would change the election outcome.
Maintaining physical security for elections is the responsibility of the government, which usually gives this task to the civilian police force. Security measures vary by country and circumstances. For integrity purposes, law enforcement must be neutral and impartial, ensuring a fair trial for suspected offenders.
Good Security Planning
Security requires good planning. This first involves identifying vulnerable stages in the electoral process and physical sites that need protection. Next it involves developing protective measures and implementing a security plan.
A security plan may be enhanced by good coordination between the election management body and enforcement agencies. A joint security plan might be developed and a coordination mechanism established to facilitate information sharing and decision making at the national, regional and local levels of all institutions.
Neutrality of Security Officers
Good election security relies on the neutrality and professionalism of enforcement officers. They must respect the law and citizens’ constitutional and civil rights, and not become involved in the campaign or agenda of any political party or candidate. Security officers must also refrain from using excessive force or violence.
In some systems, especially in post-conflict societies, security problems may stem from police misconduct. This may give rise to an atmosphere of insecurity, disrupting the election.
Protection of Polling Sites
Physical security for electoral sites and the election officers working there creates an environment in which the process can be administered in a neutral and unobstructed manner. Theft of electoral supplies and equipment may undermine the integrity of the process. Site security may be ensured by requiring people entering or leaving to wear photo identification badges. Observers and monitors should also wear badges indicating that they are allowed to enter election-related areas at critical stages of the process.
Order needs to be maintained at polling stations on election day. In some countries, this is a job for the police but indirect measures may also be taken, such as closing bars and liquor stores during voting hours. In the Philippines, it is illegal to serve, sell, buy or consume alcoholic beverages on election day. Firearms are prohibited within a certain distance of polling stations in most countries.
Some systems designate a person responsible for security at each polling site. The security officer controls access to the building, allows a limited number of voters into the polling station at one time and keeps the line orderly.
Protection of Electoral Materials
To safeguard electoral integrity, ballots, tally sheets and other electoral materials must be protected from copying, destruction or tampering. Ballot tracking is facilitated in most systems by the use of stubs numbered in sequence. The way ballots are packed may also help with security. If ballots are in different-sized tamper-proof packaging, the right amount can be distributed to each polling station without any need to open and reseal packages. Storage and distribution are facilitated if the ballot packages for each electoral district are placed in sealed containers, with serial numbers and polling site locations marked on the outside. This also minimizes opportunities for mishandling.
The polling site needs to be secure enough to protect election materials and ballot boxes. Sometimes losing candidates steal or destroy ballot boxes after the polls have closed to invalidate the results. Sometimes ballot boxes are switched after voting ends. These tactics can be detected with the use of seals on ballot boxes, and with continuous monitoring by political party representatives and observers.
Protection of Candidates, Voters and Monitors
Candidates may be targets for violent acts. Police and other enforcement agencies usually provide candidate protection. Also needing protection are sites of campaign rallies, debates and other public events that attract large numbers of people interested in the campaign.
Voters need to be able to leave their homes and vote without fear of violence in the streets or intimidation at the polling station. Turnout will be lower if voters must face threatening partisan groups in order to cast their ballot.
Monitors also require protection allowing them to observe the process, ask questions and sign tally sheets without intimidation or fear of retribution. In countries in transition, domestic observers may feel vulnerable to intimidation and violence, especially if they observe problems caused by the ruling party or security forces.
