Preparing the Office and Staffing
Much of the operational infrastructure for the registration process can be identified by the
central election administration authority well in advance of the electoral event. It can
then be implemented by the head of the local election authority (e.g., the regional registration
director) during the time immediately preceding the start of registration. The challenge for the
registration official is to put in place very quickly an office infrastructure and staff, where the
infrastructure may be used for only a few weeks or months and where many of the staff members
have no training in the completion of a voter registration initiative.
Operational Needs
Building an operational infrastructure normally requires the following:
- establish the budget for offices, staff and equipment
- determine the office location within the budget allocation
- determine equipment needs
- establish staff duties
- train staff
- estimate the number of registrations that will be completed
- divide unit into appropriate number of registration subunits (polls)
Detailed Examples
The Elections Canada Returning Officer's Manual Workbook describes the activities of the
returning officer as they relate to the operational infrastructure of the local office. These serve
as a useful illustration of the kinds of systems that can be put in place by the central election
authority well in advance of the electoral event.59
An Example: The Case of Ghana
Although a highly computerized registration system, such as is used in Canada, often is
accompanied by a complex operation, a comprehensive and well-crafted operation could
also correspond to a registration process that is much less reliant on computer technology. The
registration infrastructure for Ghana is a good example of a highly effective and efficient
operation for a less sophisticated computer-oriented registration initiative.
(see Electoral Commission of Ghana - Voter Registration Official's Manual).60
