Basis of Challenges
Challenges to validity of ballots are more likely to occur during the counting phase rather than during voting itself (see Challenging Results and Challenging Results).
However challenges may occur during voting where it is suspected that:
- unauthorised additional ballots are being introduced into the ballot box;
- ballots are being removed from the voting station for marking outside, then brought back into the voting station by other voters to deposit in the ballot box;
- the ballots being issued by voting station officials are not those officially printed or authorised;
- ballots are being handled by unauthorised persons (e.g., party/candidate representatives) during voting;
- unauthorised assistance is being provided to voters in marking their ballots.
For discussion on preventing such occurrences, see Integrity Controls.
Complaints about ballot validity issues in voting stations should, in the first instance, be directed to the voting station manager. Details of these should form part of the voting station manager's report on voting day proceedings. Introduction of unauthorised ballots into the voting station will generally require the intervention of security forces. Suspected unauthorised ballot handling and assistance to voters will require intensified control by voting station officials and the removal from the voting station of offenders. Where complainants are not satisfied with the action taken at a voting station level, there should be right of complaint to and immediate response from voting operations administrators.
Post-Voting Day Challenges
Challenges to election outcomes may be based on complaints about the validity of ballots issued or found in ballot boxes (see Management of Challenges and Complaints, Conflict and Dispute Resolution, and Dispute Resolution). It is vital that all records remain under strict security until any time limitation for election challenges has elapsed. These would include:
- receipts of ballots at voting stations, both prior to and during voting;
- reconciliations of ballots at close of voting;
- statements from staff, party/candidate representatives, other observers, or voters regarding any suspicious occurrences in relation to ballots during voting.
