In my first three articles of this series, I touched upon the need to reform the electoral system.
Today, I turn my focus on the electoral process. The conducting of a general election is a complex exercise and bound by strict rules, and any changes to the current process will require an agreement between the two parties represented in parliament.
One of the most time-consuming and elaborate processes in any electoral appointment is the printing and distribution of the voting document. The printing of thousands of voting documents is always carried out under the watchful eyes of the parties’ representatives. The door-to-door distribution by police officers assisted by parties’ representatives takes a number of weeks and a lot of energy.
Should we continue voting with a voting document in this age or should we consider voting with our ID card? I know that this is a bone of contention between the parties. There is a lack of trust as to how fair an election will be without voting documents. The argument against this has been that the parties do not have access and control over the issue of ID cards.
If we want more efficiency without compromising fair elections, we need to sit down and discuss a way forward. We need to put in place whatever safeguards are required. One thing is for sure, it is high time to start voting with our ID cards.
To eliminate the possibility of double voting we can introduce the electoral ink. This is a semi-permanent ink or dye, which is applied to the voters’ forefinger before voting. The electoral ink typically stays on the skin between 72 and 96 hours and, therefore, guarantees that no person can vote more than once.
Voting in embassies across Europe rather than organising subsidised flights should also be seriously considered. Apart from making it easier for the electorate living abroad to participate in an election, such a move will save the coffers hundreds of thousands of euros.
The stress for patients in hospitals and old people’s homes to move by any means, including stretchers, to the polling station within the building where they are being treated should be eliminated altogether. Instead of asking patients to come to the polling station we should take the ballot box accompanied by the electoral assistants (including those nominated by the parties) to the patient. The process does not require any extra resources. If anything, it will save a lot of energy.
The vote counting process is the last stage of an election and the most important one. For many years before the introduction of the electronic counting, the official result would generally take three days to complete, even though the first count would be known by Sunday evening. Since the introduction of electronic counting, the process is much faster and the full result is announced by the end of the election weekend.
The initial indications of who won the election was known quite early in the last general election. It was well before mid-day. This was, however, due to the large majority Labour won. With the new counting system, it is very hard for parties to make any predictions if the gap is close. This is because the way votes are counted parties cannot take a sample from each ballot box.
It is high time to start voting with our ID cards- Hermann Schiavone
If the next election’s gap between the parties will be very close, like the one we experienced in 2008, when the PN won by a mere 1,500 votes, we will have a long roller coaster ride in the counting hall. While I am sure that parties’ officials will be very responsible in such a situation, we can avoid all the unnecessary tensions by announcing the unofficial result by 7am or 8am on Sunday.
Yes, it is possible to have a result before having our first cup of tea of the day. How? Without going into too much detail this is how it can be done.
To be validated, a ballot needs the Electoral Commission’s rubber stamp at the back of the ballot paper. It is normally accompanied by the parties’ rubber stamp. When the sealed ballot boxes are opened at the counting hall, the first phase that is carried out is the reconciliation stage, whereby the ballot papers are unfolded and put face down in packets of 50s.
At this stage, the commission’s rubber stamp is visible to the counting agents. It is an important stage of the counting process and normally takes the whole night from 10pm on Saturday to early Sunday morning.
At this stage, the ballot papers remain face down so the parties’ agents have no idea where each ballot’s preference is going. Here is the simple reform we need, to speed up the announcement of the election winner by approximately 10 hours (in case of a close election).
If the commission rubber stamps the front of the ballot paper rather than the back, the reconciliation process can also allow the parties’ agents to take note of where every vote is going. This will lead to having a result early in the morning.
We can (if parties are courageous and trust their agents) have a result just two hours after the closure of the polling stations. But I would not dare suggest it to the parties because I cannot see them agreeing on that anytime soon.
Hermann Schiavone holds a doctorate in political science.