Basic Issues
Mobile voting stations basically undertake a series of closing of voting at each location which they visit. Procedures for closing voting at each of the locations visited will generally require the same actions as at other types of voting stations (see Close of Voting), but some variations may be required.
Schedules
Mobile voting would preferably be carried out according to a pre-determined and advertised schedule, rather than in response to ad hoc voting day requests (see Other Special Voting Arrangements). It may also be allowed to operate during a specified period prior to the normal voting day. If voters are still waiting to vote at a mobile location at the time scheduled for the close of voting at that location, scheduling arrangements should be flexible enough to allow those present to vote. In terms of flexibility, the following are useful guidelines:
- Mobile voting stations should remain longer at locations than scheduled, if necessary, to allow all those wanting to vote to vote (except, of course, allowing voting at any location after the time for the general close of voting on voting day itself; mobile voting stations should be bound by normal closure procedures at that time).
- Mobile voting stations should not leave any location before the scheduled and advertised time of cessation of voting.
- Where a mobile voting station, through transport or other delays, arrives late at a voting location, it should remain there at least for the full number of hours scheduled and advertised, and not cut this time short by closing voting at the scheduled time; any potential late arrival at a location should be announced, wherever possible, to the community or institution concerned.
Care of Ballot Boxes
To use a separate ballot box for each mobile voting location would be wasteful. Ballot slots in ballot boxes used will need to be sealed at the conclusion of voting at each location, and the sealing witnessed (by party/candidate representatives, if present, or voters), opened at the next location with the opening witnessed, and so on. Numbered seals--polypropylene ties or similar--on a slot closure mechanism, rather than plain paper seals over the slots, will provide more effective control. It is important that sealing and unsealing of ballot box slots is rigorously implemented, recorded, and witnessed by party/candidate representatives, observers, or some other witness.
Ballot Accounting
In maintaining ballot accounting, it will be more effective to account for ballots issued at the conclusion of voting at each location, in a progressive table, rather than leaving ballot accounting until the conclusion of the mobile voting station's activities. This will allow earlier detection and resolution of any problems and is most important when a mobile station's activities extend over several days. Mobile voting stations visiting hospitals and other institutions may also be dealing with voters registered for a wide variety of electoral units. Where mobile stations may issue absentee ballots, careful accounting for these by electoral district will be required.
Counts of Ballots
It is more practicable for ballot and other material from mobile voting stations to be returned to another location for counting. This could be a voting station or a more central counting centre. For accountability purposes, it is useful that ballots from each mobile voting station should be counted and parcelled separately. However, where only small numbers of votes are taken by a mobile voting station, it is highly preferable that these be amalgamated, either with a normal voting station's or other mobile voting stations' ballots, before actual counting of ballots commences, to ensure voting secrecy is preserved.
Return of Material
Mobile voting station schedules should be arranged to allow return of material for counting as soon as possible after the time for closing of voting on the general voting day. As for normal voting stations (see Verification and Packing of Materials), care should be taken in packaging material to ensure that electoral material is securely and separately packaged. Mobile voting stations (particularly those operating in remote areas) may have considerable amounts of non-election material to be returned, such as camping gear, provisions, and other equipment. This material also needs to be carefully checked on return; however, this should not occur at a location or time that would interfere with ballot material checks and counts.
Mobile Voting Station Managers' Reports
At the completion of a mobile voting station's itinerary, and before returning all material to the returning officer or other authorised person at the voting operations administration centre, managers of mobile voting stations should complete a report. The content of the report will vary, depending on what type of area the mobile voting station was covering. The report may be a series of separate forms, or, more effectively, be combined in a single stapled or bound booklet. In addition to the items common to other voting station reports (see Voting Station Managers' Reports), further information should be recorded regarding:
- mobile voting station itinerary and whether there were any variations from planned schedules;
- record of ballots issued at each mobile voting location;
- progressive ballot accounting (see Collection of Ballots) recorded following conclusion of voting at each place visited and at the end of each day's voting, if the mobile voting station is in operation for more than one day;
- particularly if operating in remote areas, a communications schedule or checklist and time of communications with base;
- diary commenting on facilities and conditions at mobile voting locations, noting disputes, and incidents, travelling time, other useful data for future mobile voting station planning;
- records of reimbursable expenses;
For examples of comprehensive mobile voting station reports, see Mobile Polling Return (Remote), Australia and Mobile Polling Return (Electoral Visitor), Australia. For further information on frameworks for and operations of mobile voting stations, see Other Special Voting Arrangements, Homebound, Infirm and Aged, Hospitals and Other Care Institutions, Remote Areas.
