The Quick Count and Election Observation

C H A P T E R F O U R : B U I L D I N G T H E V O L U N T E E R N E T W O R K
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• assembling and distributing press packets;
• assisting the accountant with record-keeping; and
• providing back-up for busy drivers.
Perhaps the most important and time-consuming work is identifying people
to fill various roles in the data collection process. 6 For recruiting purposes, the
primary roles to be filled around election day include:
• answering telephones and processing reports in the central data collection
center;
• staffing a backup network of data collection centers in the capital city; 7 and
• collecting forms from the backup data collection centers in the capital
city, usually on motorcycles or in cars.
This work is done in coordination with the technical team. The number of people
needed depends on the type of system designed, the quantity of data
collected and the speed with which the data are to be processed. In general,
the more sophisticated the system, the larger the number of volunteers needed
to staff election-day operations.
The recruiting message
and broader presentation
points should be
disseminated through
the media as much as
possible.
Convincing and Screening Recruits
Recruiters at national and local levels must address a wide variety of audiences
in their efforts to locate motivated volunteers. Regardless of whether the audience
comprises civic or religious leaders, professional organizations, social
clubs or combinations of these and members of the general public, recruiters
should master a short, meaningful and substantive presentation. The presentation
should include:
• a succinct message about why this effort is important to the country at
this time;
• an overview of the group’s election-related activities (if applicable);
• why the group is undertaking a quick count;
• an explanation of the importance of competence and independence in
quick count operations;
• a brief plan;
• who is needed for what duties; and
• an enthusiastic invitation to join.
The recruiting message and broader presentation points should be disseminated
through the media as much as possible. This will raise awareness of the
project, and project recognition is helpful to national, regional and local
recruiters. It also will help enhance the group’s credibility with the election
commission, the public, political players and other key audiences.
6
See Chapter Seven, Collecting and Analyzing Quick Count Data, for more information.
7
See Chapter Seven, Collecting and Analyzing Quick Count Data, for a description of these backup
data collection centers.