The Quick Count and Election Observation

THE QUICK COUNT AND ELECTION OBSERVATION
described above. Whenever possible, representatives from headquarters should
assist regional leaders as they train municipal leaders.
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Training Local Volunteers
Once all regional and municipal committees are trained, the organization
focuses on volunteers who will be inside polling stations on election day. Time
and resources are the principal factors that dictate the strategy used to reach
thousands of people quickly. There are three basic options:
• A pyramid, or cascade, system—lead trainer(s) prepare regional leaders to
train municipal leaders who, in turn, train quick count observers. This
approach is quick, decentralized and economical.
• Mobile teams—teams are formed and prepared at the central level, individual
teams divide and cover sections of the country until training has
taken place everywhere. This system may better preserve uniformity and
quality. It is also economical but requires more time.
• National training day—enough trainers are prepared and deployed to cover
the entire country in one day. For example, a team is sent to train observers
in each electoral constituency. This method is fast, and serves as a high-profile
national event. However, it requires intensive preparation.
Most organizations implement some combination of the above options.
Whatever the techniques employed, the priority must be placed on uniformity.
In general, decentralization should be kept to a minimum in quick counts,
because it is vital to minimize mistakes in content and unevenness in quality.
Good quality forms and training manuals promote consistency, but it is still a
good idea to have a delegate from headquarters present at as many training
programs as possible.
Some organizations preparing for quick counts establish parallel training operations
for large urban areas, such as capital cities. It is important to ensure that
adequate staff time and resources are dedicated to these cities, since they will
contain a high concentration of polling stations and, therefore, sample points.
In Nicaragua in 2001, for example, roughly one-third of the sample points
were located in the capital city of Managua. The civic group Ethics and
Transparency assigned a full-time paid coordinator to recruit and train Managua
observers, and the result was nearly 100 percent election day coverage.
Decentralization
should be kept to a
minimum in quick
counts, because it is
vital to minimize mistakes
in content and
unevenness in quality.
Some organizations
preparing for quick
counts establish parallel
training operations
for large urban areas,
such as capital cities.
Training Volunteers for Central Operations
The volunteer coordination team must also train volunteers to help in the
national office. All headquarters volunteers, whether assisting the executive
director, trainers, logistics officers, information specialists or accountants,
should also be trained and accredited as observers. This provides them with
an intimate understanding of the work being conducted and the responsibilities
of those they are assisting. It also prepares them to substitute for observers
in the capital city, if needed.