The Quick Count and Election Observation

THE QUICK COUNT AND ELECTION OBSERVATION
elections can also provide useful benchmark data for interpreting whether the
number of challenged ballots or other anomalies were “unusually high.” Most
election commissions keep records of prior elections, and those records should
be publicly available.
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Pre-election preparation also involves gathering data from international organizations
that conduct election observations. These organizations may have
participated in observer missions, or they may have assisted domestic nongovernmental
organizations conducting observations in the country. Some of
these organizations keep records of previous involvement, and their archived
files on other elections can provide important detailed contextual election data.
It is essential that
analysts develop in
advance a clear plan.
A Clear Plan
It is essential that analysts develop in advance a clear plan addressing: Exactly
how will they work with the observer data when they start to arrive on election
day? Which parts of the dataset will be examined first? In what order will
the data be analyzed? Do the analysts know exactly how to proceed if findings
indicate that there may have been some problems? Which are the problems
that seem most likely to arise on election day? How will they be analyzed?
These questions must not be left until election day, and they should be discussed
in advance with those responsible for presenting the results to the
public. The point is to eliminate as many “surprises” as possible.
Using Graphics
Next, analysts must plan how they will use graphics. Graphic presentations of
data make observation results more accessible to the media and to the public.
In many cases newspapers will simply print the graphic results produced
by observer groups. The production of user friendly graphics solves two problems.
It saves newspapers the trouble of producing their own graphics, and it
reduces the chances that errors will be made in the presentation of findings.
In many cases newspapers
will simply
print the graphic
results produced by
observer groups.
The production of graphics is time consuming, and it is remarkable just how
much disagreement can arise over the matter of what is the best way to present
information. Just as the leadership of the organization should prepare in
advance drafts of what an election day statement of results might look like, so
too should the analysis team prepare ahead of time the software “shell” for
the presentation of graphics. That “shell” should reflect choices about format,
addressing issues, like: Will the data on key questions be illustrated with bar
charts? Will they be presented using pie-charts? Or, will they be numeric tables?
Will the charts include the organization’s logo? How will each of the graphs
or tables be labelled?
These questions may seem trivial, but it is essential to eliminate in advance as
many things as possible that may cause election-day disagreements and lost
time. Such disagreements have delayed press conferences, and they have led