Basic Issues
In controlling the voting process, staff will be required for the following functions:
- checking that voters are eligible to vote at that voting station;
- issuing the correct voting material;
- monitoring voting compartments, or booths;
- ensuring the security of ballot boxes and their contents, and/or voting machines or computers, where used;
- controlling the voting station exit;
- providing any special voting facilities that may be required.
Voter Eligibility Checking Officers
The basic duties required of officers checking voter eligibility include:
- check the voter's identity, either by reference to the required identity document or on the basis of a required statement from the voter;
- check the voter's name and other information (e.g., address, date of birth) against the voters list;
- if the voter is found on the voters list, mark, in the prescribed fashion, the voter's entry on the list to show that the voter has voted, and direct the voter to the voting materials issuing officer;
- if the voter cannot be found on the voters list, direct the voter to the appropriate polling official or the voting station manager for assistance;
- at the close of voting, consolidate records of the numbers of voters marked as having voted.
Where multiple voting controls are based on marking the voter with special ink, a separate official may need to be appointed for checking that the voter has not been previously marked with ink, and then applying the ink, to maintain an adequate processing speed for voters through eligibility checking.
It is more cost-effective--and enhances voter queue control--for the functions of checking voter eligibility and issuing accountable voting materials to be undertaken by the same official. However, this is not always possible to implement, depending on the complexity of eligibility checks required and the confidence in the skill level of staff to undertake both of these two vitally important tasks without error. Where there is any doubt about the ability of individual staff members to undertake both tasks, or it would slow voter processing significantly, it is better for these tasks to be allocated to separate officials. Legislative frameworks may also require that different polling officials undertake these two functions. (For further details on procedures for voter eligibility checking, see Determination of Eligibility to Vote and Integrity Controls.)
Voting Materials Issuing Officers
Depending on the voting method used, whether based on accountable ballots or ballot envelopes, these officials may be required to issue ballots, ballot envelopes, or both. Their basic functions are to ensure that, once the voter's eligibility to vote has been determined:
- any required official mark is applied correctly to each ballot and/or ballot envelope;
- voters are issued the correct ballot(s) and/or ballot envelopes(s);
- the method of marking or otherwise correctly completing the ballot, and the requirement to complete the ballot in secret in a voting compartment, is explained to all voters;
- under accountable ballot systems, the method of folding the completed ballot so as to display any official mark to an official before depositing the ballot in the ballot box is explained or demonstrated to each voter;
- voters are not directed towards the voting compartment area unless a voting compartment is vacant;
- accurate records of the numbers of ballots (and/or ballot envelopes) issued are maintained;
- at the close of voting, ballots and/or ballot envelopes issued are reconciled to the number of voters marked off the voters list or allowed to vote under other prescribed circumstances.
Where computers are used for voting, the ballot issuing function will generally not be required. However, officials may be needed to monitor the use of computer equipment. (For discussion in detail of procedures for issuing voting material, see Issue and Casting of Ballots.)
Voting Compartment Monitors
Responsibilities for supervising the voting compartment area need to be allocated to specific officials. Regular checks need to be undertaken to ensure that:
- any information posters required to be displayed in the voting compartments are in place (see Information at Voting Locations) and are replaced when necessary;
- no voting material has been left by voters in the voting compartments;
- Any papers or symbols that may influence voters that have been left in or written on the voting compartments are removed;
- where ballots are to be marked by pen or pencil, functioning writing implements are in each voting compartment.
The area around the voting compartments must be kept free of extraneous material and uncluttered in order to provide smooth passage for voters. To ensure secrecy of voting, supervision of this area is also necessary in order to ensure that:
- voters are alone in voting compartments;
- ballots are not marked outside voting compartments;
- there is liaison with materials issuing officials to ensure that voting materials are not issued to a voter unless a voting compartment is vacant;
- on completing their ballots, voters are directed to the ballot box (or appropriate ballot box, where more than one is in use);
Depending on the number of voters attending the voting station, and their familiarity with voting processes, there may be no need to appoint additional officials to carry out the above responsibilities. The voting compartment area could be monitored by other officials, such as information officers or the voting station manager and/or deputy manager, if their primary functions will allow this. Where voters are familiar with voting procedures, staff issuing voting materials may be able to direct voters to vacant voting compartments.
Ballot Box Guards
Except under procedures that require voters to return to the official who issued their voting material and deposit their ballot at the material issuing table, it is always prudent to have staff whose sole function is to guard the ballot box(es) into which voters deposit their ballots. In some very small voting stations it may be possible for the voting station manager to undertake this function, but it would be generally advisable to have separate staff for this function. Duties of ballot box guards would include:
- guarding the ballot box and preventing any attempts to damage, deface, or tamper with it;
- ensuring that no unauthorised material enters the ballot box--generally requiring that any official marks placed on the reverse of the ballot by the issuing official are inspected before the voter is allowed to deposit the ballot(s) in the ballot box;
- ensuring that electors deposit ballot(s) into the correct ballot box before leaving the voting station and do not place additional ballots in the ballot box;
- directing voters to the exit after they have deposited their ballot(s);
- checking the ballot box(es) regularly to determine how full they are (generally done by passing a ruler through the ballot box slot) and advising the voting station manager if a fresh ballot box is required.
Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are used, appointment of staff for these functions will not be necessary. However, this saving in staff may be balanced by the need to engage more staff to inform voters on how to use the voting equipment.
Exit Control Officers
Where voting station layouts allow the ballot boxes to be placed in close proximity to the voting station exit, exit control functions may be undertaken by the same staff who are guarding the ballot boxes. In larger voting stations, or where there are security concerns, even where this layout is achieved, it would be more prudent to appoint separate staff to undertake exit control duties. Duties of exit control officers would include:
- ensuring voters leave the voting station promptly after voting;
- preventing any assembly of unauthorised persons around the voting station exit or any entry of persons to the voting station through the exit;
- ensuring that voters do not leave the voting station with voting materials.
Special Voting Facilities
Where special voting facilities (such as absentee voting or mobile voting) are provided from normal voting stations, staff with these specific responsibilities should generally be engaged. Exceptions to this may occur in cases where the expected number of voters using these facilities is sufficiently low to be handled, without detriment to other voters, by staff undertaking other functions.
