The Quick Count and Election Observation

THE QUICK COUNT AND ELECTION OBSERVATION
A protocol provides a detailed framework for managing qualitative and quantitative
information gathered during the quick count. Advance agreement can
help ensure that the group’s internal election day operation runs smoothly. It
also gives groups an opportunity to publicize and discuss plans with key audiences
such as political parties, electoral authorities, funders, civic leaders, the
international community and the media. This demonstration of transparency
can promote better communication and cooperation with these audiences and
increase the project’s overall credibility.
RELEASING QUICK COUNT DATA
Almost all groups release their quick count results publicly in two phases. First,
they hold a midday press conference to share results from the morning report
(Form 1). This is the early qualitative information, which provides hard data
and attaches percentages to such questions as how many polling stations
opened on time and how many received sufficient quantities of the required
materials. This report provides officials, political leaders and other interested
parties with an evaluation of how the process started, and at the same time it
provides them with a reminder of the presence of observers.
Almost all groups
release their quick
count results publicly
in two phases.
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A second press conference is held or a statement is released once the data has
come in from the evening observer calls, after the quick count data have been
processed and analyzed (Form 2). These data contain information on the quality
of the process as well as the election results. Some groups plan to release
all of the information to the public as soon as the reliability of the data is determined.
Others release only the qualitative information to the public and the
projected results are shared only with the election commission and/or individuals
or groups that are pre-selected for their trustworthiness, neutrality and
leadership.
Groups that decide to release all of their information to the public as soon as
possible usually do so because they face no legal restriction regarding release
of information. Groups that decide to release a limited amount of information
to the public (usually the qualitative information) do so because they are prohibited
by law from publicly divulging quick count results until either partial
or full official results are released. Others are required by law to first provide
information concerning numeric projections of results to electoral authorities.
Still others make a determination that they are not interested in “beating the
election commission to the punch.” Instead, they wait a reasonable amount
of time for the election commission to release official results. Then they release
quick count results to reinforce confidence in the election authorities.
Under some circumstances, quick count organizers release results publicly
despite legal restrictions. This strategy might be followed because their qualitative
information indicates that the process has been severely flawed, official
results will most certainly be fraudulent, or it is believed that no official result
is forthcoming.