Summary
The intent of the voter should be taken into consideration when determining the validity of ballots.
Election Parts
Issues
Quotes
- The audit system shall be open and comprehensive, and actively report on potential issues and threats.
- The legal framework should ensure, among other things, that: ...Rules for determining ballot validity honor the clear intent of the voter.
- The paramount principle should be that if the intention of the voter is clear, the ballot should be counted.
- The procedures for rejecting void votes and invalidating ballots should be closely followed. If the voter’s intention is clear, her/his vote should be allowed
- Rules for determining the validity of ballots should not be so stringent as to unreasonably disenfranchise a voter.
- 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 regulatory framework should ensure that the method of counting takes full account of the intention of the voter….
- It is best to avoid treating too many ballot papers as invalid or spoiled. In case of doubt, an attempt should be made to ascertain the voter’s intention.
- [Ballots] should not be rejected for a minor breach of the rules for example using a tick or underlining instead of a cross.