The Quick Count and Election Observation

THE QUICK COUNT AND ELECTION OBSERVATION
1. Observer Forms—Most groups develop separate forms for quick count
observers and volunteers stationed at non-quick count polling stations.
Quick count observers usually report information via telephone; volunteers
at other sites use a separate relay system.
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2. The Observer Manual—This manual contains relevant information on the
election process and explains, step-by-step, the job of an election observer.
(As noted below, manuals for training trainers, regional coordinators
and other groups are also needed.)
Forms
The volunteer coordinator usually designs the forms. It is crucial that she or
he does this in close collaboration with the trainer, the executive director,
someone from the technical team that focuses on data analysis and one or
more specialists in electoral law. The process begins with a vision of election
day, an analysis of problems that historically have occurred and a list of issues
that are of most concern to candidates and other key groups. This list is narrowed
down to crucial issues to create forms that capture data about key
questions concerning the quality of the process but that are not cumbersome.
Questions are formulated to reflect the real order of events, and to contain
the wording and terminology contained in election law and used by electoral
authorities. 2 Observer answers to the questions reveal both the strengths and/or
irregularities that may occur in election-day processes.
One form is designed to collect information on the opening of polling stations
and initiation of voting procedures. A second form is designed to collect general
information on voting and counting procedures. The second form also
records the results of the count. In many countries a third, and perhaps longer,
form is developed for non-quick count observers. Data from this form is compiled
and analyzed for inclusion in detailed post-election reports. The more
detailed reports can be crucial if electoral controversies develop.
The volunteer coordination team must ask the executive director and the board
of directors to review these forms thoroughly; these actors must understand
exactly what information they will receive on election day. In some countries,
organization leaders have not paid attention to the observer forms until just prior
to, or on, election day, only to discover that a question they think is crucial has
not been asked. At such a late date, it is impossible to gather systematic information
on the crucial issue. In these cases, leaders typically end up calling local
committee members for their impressions and putting together less powerful
and less credible anecdotal information. Insufficient attention and inadequate
planning have significant costs that could usually have been avoided.
Field testing the forms
is critical to ensure
that volunteers understand
the questions as
designed.
2
See Chapter Six, The Qualitative Component of the Quick Count, for a step-by-step guide to designing
forms.