Potential Functions
International assistance for voting operations could be categorised broadly into three different functions:
- international funding of external technical advice and assistance in voting operations areas where local capacity or expertise is lacking;
- provision of international funding for the acquisition of materials or services (whether internally or externally) that cannot be covered within the available voting operations budgets;
- sourcing of materials or professional services internationally from local funding.
Developing Local Skills
International contributions to voting operations responsibilities are most effectively targeted at raising local capacities for future elections (and hopefully thus lessening, or negating, the need for future assistance), rather than providing a short-term solution. Regarding external technical assistance, this can best be expressed as providing experts that mentor, develop and train local staff in relevant fields (such as training, operational, technical, management and ethical aspects of voting operations), rather than using additional international staff to wholly implement election functions.
Wherever possible the emphasis would be better placed on providing international advisers, not implementers or observers. Ideally such assistance would be provided over the longer term, so that there is no panic to plug skills gaps on the announcement of an election, and to allow effective absorption of transferred skills prior to the pressure of an imminent election.
Ensuring Sustainability
International funding for the provision of voting operations material and services from local sources should preferably be aimed at sustainable development. Particularly in transitional elections, there can be a tendency towards funding at a level that cannot be sustained locally for future elections, with no guarantee that future international funding at the same level will be available.
This may not only distort local economic patterns in the short-term, but also result in investment in a voting operations base--sophisticated computer systems, transport requirements, materials specifications, use of media--that is not maintainable. The result will be to lock voting operations processes into a cycle of international dependency, unless a redesign exercise cognisant of sustainable local conditions (expensive and perhaps requiring, yet again, international funding) is undertaken.
Avoiding Dependence on Foreign Suppliers
Sourcing of materials externally, even if from local funding, also requires careful consideration. Creating dependencies on longer supply lines, and external technical production and maintenance expertise may
- limit voting operations flexibility;
- require costly contingency measures;
- deny development opportunities within the local economy.
Local solutions involving lower levels of initial technology and expertise provide advantages of control and capacity development, and can be more reliable and economical. International sourcing may fill a short-term need, but it can be a very expensive longer-term solution.
