For further information see Overview .
Preparation of Voters Lists
There is a separate topic area dealing with this topic - see Voter Registration. The issues raised
in this file relate to the role of the electoral manager specifically. The voters lists which are used
in the polling station are the final voters lists, which are relevant to the polling process. Voter
registration is one of the most difficult tasks facing the electoral management body or manager in
many countries. If this process does not work, then trust in the entire electoral process is rapidly
lost. Therefore, it is essential that sufficient time and resources are allowed for this part of the
work. It is a task which lends itself to automation.
Legislative Provisions
The operational responsibilities of the electoral manager in terms of voter registration should be
set out in the electoral law and regulations. Under some systems the manager's responsibilities
are very limited with registration being conducted as a separate process. Others integrate the
voting and electoral processes with the registration being undertaken for a specific election.
When Do Voters Lists Become Final?
There needs to be a clear understanding of when these lists become final. In some systems the
lists are fixed a specific period before polling day - in the United Kingdom (GB) it is around 22
days before polling takes place. In other systems, citizens can register to vote up to the time the
poll closes.
The responsibility for preparing the final voters lists may not be that of the electoral manager or
electoral commission responsible for the election, in which case any problems or issues relating
to the lists need to be referred back to that person or authority. There are often provisions for the
voters lists to be displayed either at the electoral office or polling site. This practice enables
citizens to check the lists in advance and reduces problems when polling commences. Where a
comprehensive review of lists by citizens takes place, costs are reduced by eliminating the need
for other checking exercises and voter confidence in the accuracy of the lists is increased.
The electoral law provides in many cases for the voters lists to be posted at the polling site, or at
the office of the electoral manager, in advance of polling day. The Saskatchewan (Canada (CA))
Electoral Law requires that the lists be published within 7 days after nomination day. Moreover,
up to 10 pm on the fourth day before polling, representations may be made from eligible voters
to be included on the lists. There is also provision for the correction of any mistakes in entries
on the lists. These revised lists are then used for the polling process.
If there is a process for adding names to the lists at the polling site or enabling people to
participate who are not on the list but claim they should be able to cast a provisional vote, that
process needs to be clearly identified so that the poll workers know what to do.
Amendments to the final voters lists are normally required to take account of absentee voting,
where this facility exists. See 'e\'.
Mistakes in Voters Lists
The electoral manager should ensure that a process is established for record keeping in the
electoral office and at polling sites of inaccuracies/omissions in voters lists and for this
information to be acted upon when the election is over. In many systems, there is provision for
the voter to leave a card, which includes details of minor inaccuracies, at the polling site.
Security and Access to Lists
The security of the electors lists after the poll also needs to be established. Some systems enable
the public to have access to the lists to check whether an elector has or has not voted. Other
systems require the lists to be sealed and access is only allowed in the event of a legal challenge.
The view is taken by some countries that whether an elector has voted or not is not a matter for
the public record, so the lists should be sealed, Other countries believe that it is only the voter's
choice which should remain secret, not whether that person has voted.
Supply of Copies of the Lists
The electoral manager usually has responsibility for the supply of copies of the lists to various
people. A typical distribution of lists would be to:
- candidates and party agents
- the poll site for use during the polling process and also for posting at the poll site
Under some electoral laws, party agents are allowed to record whether or not an elector has voted
and to keep lists.
Information to Voters
The voters lists are frequently used as the database from which information is distributed to
voters by means of poll cards or sample ballots - see Complete Information. Maximum publicity about
opportunities to challenge the lists is essential. Having a substantial number of properly qualified
people unable to vote because they are not registered is an embarrassment in any election. Where
the electoral manager has overall responsibility for voter registration and elections, careful
planning needs to be put into the registration process - it is easy to concentrate resources on the
election activity to the detriment of registration.
