3619 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "The legal framework for elections should prohibit the presence of unauthorized persons in polling stations. This can usefully be coupled with a pro-vision for police officers only to enter polling stations either to vote or when officially requested to restore order. In the latter event, police should enter polling stations only if authorized by the person in charge of the polling station, and should be required to leave as soon as order is restored."
- "...[W]herever possible, members of the military and the police should vote in advance polls. Otherwise on polling day those not on duty should vote in ordinary civilian polling stations where they reside, without bearing arms and without wearing uniform."
- "STOs should observe the general conditions outside and around the polling station. A number of issues are relevant: Are security personnel present, and if so, are they behaving in an appropriate manner?"
- "Issues and procedures to observe include: Are there police, security forces, of government officials in polling stations?"
- "Police and security forces have a dual role in an election setting, providing security for electors while also ensuring that they do not interfere with the rights of the electorate."
- "The legal framework must provide the highest election official at the polling site (presiding officer, president or chairperson) with the authority to maintain order at the site and take steps to gain assistance concerning security or remedying any problems concerning the voting process."
- "Persons entitled to vote must be free to vote for any candidate for election and for or against any proposal submitted to referendum or plebiscite, and free to support or to oppose government, without undue influence or coercion of any kind which may distort or inhibit the free expression of the voter's will."
- "The e-voting system shall not permit any manipulative influence to be exercised over the voter during voting."
- "The right to vote and the free expression of the will of the electorate may be undermined where there is intimidation, undue influence or coercion of the voter. Voters should be free from violence or the threat of violence. Instances of bribery or other unfair inducements to vote for a certain candidate also compromise the free expression of the will of the electorate."
- "The legal framework must address a myriad of issues to ensure a genuine opportunity to exercise the right to vote on the basis of equal and universal suffrage. These issues concern conditions outside the polling sites, as well as inside it, before, during and after voting takes place. The provisions must ensure, among other things, that: Violence, intimidation, vote buying and other forms of coercion are prohibited in and around polling stations."
- "Voting can only be considered free if voters perceive that they are uninhibited from casting their vote according to their individual will. Intimidation [and] bribery…pose serious threats to a free voting environment."
- "Votes must be cast without pressure from anybody. The vote should be cast personally in full secrecy, in an atmosphere free from pressure and intimidation, without the possibility of tracing individual votes."
- "STOs should observe the general conditions outside and around the polling station. A number of issues are relevant: Are voters being offered any inducements to vote in a particular manner?"
- "Issues and procedures to observe include: is there any sign of partisan campaign materials or campaign activity in the polling station?"
- "Each step in the election process must be described in the election laws and regulations, and the provisions must be published well before the elections."
- "To be successfully conducted, free and fair elections should be guided by detailed provisions regarding the forms of ballots, the design of ballot boxes and voting compartments, and the manner of polling. These provisions should protect the process from fraudulent practices and respect the secrecy of the vote."
- "The member state's authorities shall ensure the reliability and security of the e-voting system."
- "Before any e-election or e-referendum takes place, the competent electoral authority shall satisfy itself that the e-voting system is genuine and operates correctly."
- "Before any e-voting system is introduced, and at appropriate intervals thereafter, and in particular after any changes are made to the system, an independent body, appointed by the electoral authorities, shall verify that the e-voting system is working correctly and that all the necessary security measures have been taken."
- "Appropriate steps should also be taken to ensure the security of the ballot papers, the ballot boxes and other polling equipment at all stages. Whenever ballot boxes are open they should be in full view of any party polling agents present and whenever they are sealed any party agents present should have the opportunity to inspect the official seals and, where appropriate, affix their own. When boxes are transported to counting centres provision should be made where possible to enable party agents to travel on the same vehicles as the boxes and to accompany them throughout. When it is necessary to store boxes containing uncounted ballots overnight an opportunity should be afforded to party agents to be present in the immediate vicinity of the boxes, together with appropriate security guards."
- "The counting process in turn requires measures to ensure that ballot boxes are empty before voting begins, that they are secure when polling stations are closed, or during any period of transit, and that votes are tallied in a process that inspires confidence in the electorate."
- "...[T]he legal framework should provide safeguards where technology is used to count ballots."
- "The legal framework… should also provide safeguards where technology is used and ballots are counted other than manually."
- "The security of ballot boxes must be guaranteed and votes should be counted in the presence of the candidates or their agents."
- "Results should be verified by party counting agents, who should be asked formally to sign the result they have witnessed and be given a copy of the form signed by the presiding officer and the party counting agents. Party counting agents have a responsibility to remain until the end of a count, to observe the count by personnel appointed by the management body and to sign any correct tally, or else give reasons in writing for their objecting so to do."
- "The existence of adequate and impartial arrangements for representatives of all political parties to watch the count; those representatives should not interfere with the count, but should be able to comment if they are dissatisfied."
- "The counting place, be it at the polling station, a constituency center or other centre, should be so organized as to allow the candidates and/or party agents and observers (if any) to see the counting proceedings directly."
- "Procedures for counting should be known to those election officials, party agents, observers and any other authorized persons who are permitted to be present during the count."
- "The legal framework should provide for the presence of the representatives of parties and candidates and election observers during the counting, tabulation and consolidation of votes."
- "The counting process should be transparent and easily verifiable. Candidates' proxies or agents, domestic and international observers and the media should have the right to observe the whole counting process including, where applicable, the tabulation of votes."
- "If the count is done at the polling station, the full count should be observed to the end."
- "Accredited observers are entitled to observe the count."
- "The legal framework should provide for the presence of observers, domestic and foreign, and representatives of the media, political parties and candidates, during the counting and tabulation of votes."
- "Regardless of whether ballots are counted at the polling station or a central counting location, ballots must be counted in the presence of observers."
- "Ensure the transparency of the entire electoral process by facilitating the deployment of representatives of political parties and individual candidates at polling and counting stations by accrediting national and/other observers/monitors."
- "...[C]andidates and agents should be allowed to remain with the boxes from closure of polling station to counting of the votes."
- "Counting should be open to official observation by concerned parties."
- "The audit system shall be open and comprehensive, and actively report on potential issues and threats."
- "Provision must be in place in the legal framework so that independent verification of the accuracy and soundness of hardware and software used for counting ballots can occur."
- "The counting process shall accurately count the votes. The counting of votes shall be reproducible."
- "There shall be the possibility for a recount. Other features of the e-voting system that may influence the correctness of the result shall be verifiable."
- "There should be opportunities to seek a remedy in the event of objections against decisions or activities of the counting staff."
- "Candidates and political parties have the right to challenge the validity of election results."
- "The legal framework should ensure, among other things, that: ...Ballots are opened in a manner that permits verification of their validity or ruling about invalidity."
- "In assessing the counting processes...evaluation should be based upon the degree to which: (2) ballots that are ruled invalid (spoiled, void or null) or irregular (sometimes called challenged or tendered) are properly identified and, ideally, preserved for review."
- "The reliability of the count, double counting and storing of ballots for later verification are to be observed."
- "Voted ballots and counting sheets (protocols) should be stored in a secure place, at least for a period of time sufficient for the final resolution of all election appeals."
- "The legal framework should provide, in clear and objective language, the procedures for transferring the protocol results of counting, ballots, and election materials from lower election commissions to intermediate and higher election commissions for tabulation and safekeeping."
- "The tabulation of results should be verifiable and transparent at all levels of the election administration."
- "Counting should be open to official observation by concerned parties. All issued, unissued and damaged ballot papers must be systematically accounted for. The processes for counting votes, verification, reporting of results and retention of official materials must be secure and fair. Re-count procedures should be available in case of questionable results. Finally, alternative, independent verification procedures, such as parallel vote tabulation, can be a valuable measure contributing to public confidence in, and acceptance of, the outcome of polling."