Maintaining Transparency
Once the preliminary voters list has been produced, it is crucial that it be made available for
review by all interested parties. In order to accomplish this, appropriate communication
strategies should be adopted. Publication of the preliminary voters list can also provide
significant opportunities for voter education.
A variety of communication strategies can be used to publicize the existence of the preliminary
voters list. One is to mount a media campaign. This can include television and radio, where
electronic media outlets exist; billboards, newspaper ads, handbills and posters either to
supplement the electronic media campaign where it exists or to replace it where it does not. A
key purpose for such a campaign is to inform the electorate of the availability of the preliminary
list and its location for inspection. The preliminary list may be located at the registration office
or other centre, and there may be limitations on the information made accessible to voters. To
protect the privacy of other voters, for example, access to the preliminary voters list may have
limits which allow voters to check only their own information and not the list as a whole.
Obviously promotion can be expensive, especially if it entails a significant advertising
campaign. An alternative is to use public service announcement opportunities to advise of the
availability of the list. In many places, these are made available for a more modest price than
regular advertising, but they may be displayed less prominently. The basic message that needs
communicating is: 'You are registered if the following is true...'. The requirement that voters
verify they are on the list is not universal. The voter may be provided with a receipt for
registration or mailed a card verifying registration and indicating the date and location of the
polling site.
The decision on the scope most suitable for the voter registration promotion strategy often is
based, at least in part, on the degree to which the electoral event is novel. In those settings long
accustomed to free and fair elections and democratic governance, little more than public service
announcements, combined with a registration information card mailed to all registered voters,
may be necessary to the overall communications strategy. Where elections and democracy are
more recent institutions, however, it may be useful to increase the promotional budget and make
appropriate linkages to voter education.
Other Communication Strategies
Apart from media-intensive strategies, there are a number of other ways to promote the
availability of the preliminary voters list. One common method is simply to post a notice
regarding the preliminary list in a public building or in some other public place. In more
primitive societies, the preliminary voters list could be announced through the beating of drums,
for example, or through theatrical performances in prominent locations. In addition, copies of
the lists normally are sent directly to political parties, since in most cases parties are entitled by
law to receive copies, or to other interested groups. In short, there is almost no limit to the ways
in which the lists can be publicized. The effective limits are more likely to be financial, even
though wide circulation of or easy access to the preliminary list is essential for the legitimacy of
the election.
A key principle to bear in mind in developing promotion strategies is whether or not the list is
being used for electoral purposes only. Posting lists is frequently problematic because they may
be torn down or defaced. Equipping list revision stations with personnel who can look people up
on the list is an alternative that works in many jurisdictions. The management issue is how to
confirm registration with minimal inconvenience to the voter. It is usually subject to monies and
other resources that are available.
