FAQ s Voting Method & Appropriateness to PICC Elections

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1 Purley Masjid, 63 Whytecliffe Road South, Purley, CR8 2AZ Purley Islamic Community Centre Registered in England Registration No.: Registered Charity No.: FAQ s Voting Method & Appropriateness to PICC Elections What are the objectives? 1. To achieve maximum voter participation 2. The process to be free from intimidation and hijacking 3. To avoid congestion 4. To enable voter convenience 5. To reduce the chance of spoilt ballots (inbuilt system controls) 6. It is easier to audit 7. It is quick and effective 8. To ensure it is transparent and fair Unfortunately in elections the losing party often claims voter or election rigging. The process needs to be designed to minimise / eliminate any legitimate claims to impropriety. What are the different methods of voting? The most common ones are: - Voting in person (ballot box) Voting by post Voting by proxy Electronic / online voting (e-voting) Show of hands How does the voting in person work? When you are voting in person (or ballot box), you will be given a ballot paper at the polling booth listing the candidates you can vote for. You may be given more than one ballot paper if there is more than one election taking place on the same day. You simply enter your choice (following any instructions given) and insert it into the secure ballot boxes provided on site. At the end of the assigned time, the ballot boxes are counted in public and the result is officially declared at that time. Invigilators and /or observers may be appointed to ensure the correct protocols are followed. There is a variation of this system, where the entire voting process is conducted in secret, but very specific protocols need to be put in place to identify the validity of the votes. This is complex and typically used in small private clubs. 22/11/16 1

2 What are the benefits of voting in person? The system is relatively simple and convenient for the voter, but very labour intensive for the organisers. This is the most commonly used for parliamentary and council elections. What is the downside of voting in person? It is a relatively long process as sufficient time has to be allowed for all voters to safely visit the polling station to cast their votes. Health and safety regulations require you to consider such matters as overcrowding at entrances and exits, the safety of voters from intimidation etc. (although this cannot be easily policed outside the voting centre). This process can also be expensive, as many people need to be involved to ensure the appropriate checks and balances (some of the roles can be filled by volunteers but third parties would also be require to ensure impartiality). Specific arrangements need to be made to ensure appropriate segregation and logistics, within the constraints of available resourcing and venues. There is also the potential cost of a third party to collect, store and count the votes. We do not think so. The AGM and elections in May prove how easy it is for disgruntled nominees and their supporters to hijack the process if the results appear not to be going their way. The reason we are considering alternatives is not least due to the experiences in May. Many people, in particular the women, did not vote. Due considerations needs to be given to achieving maximum voter participation. How does voting by post happen? This is another common method that is increasingly becoming popular. Once you have appropriately registered, a printed ballot slip is sent to your registered postal address. You will then select your preferences (in accordance with the instructions) and return the slip to the given address (which may or may not be PICC s registered address). Some special measures will need to be put in to minimise any risk of fraud. The returned letters are stored in a secure location (unopened) until the closing time of the election, and are then opened and counted in public or by an independent third party. 22/11/16 2

3 What are the benefits of voting by post? Postal voting enables as many voters as possible to participate. It can assist those people who may not be able to attend a polling station in person, for example because of a physical disability, absence from the locality or some other reason. As this happens away from any physical place, it significantly reduces the administrative burden. What are the downsides of voting by post? Disputes can easily arise, for example with post not arriving in time or votes being lost in the post. There are also issues relating to confirming who actually voted. Special measures need to put in place to ensure prevention of fraud, for example arising from slips being copied etc. Possibly, if the appropriate checks and balances can be put in place. This method will resolve many of the perceived problems. How does voting by proxy happen? Proxy voting is a form of voting whereby someone is authorised by another person to vote for them. It is commonly used by corporates and other organisations to allow members to delegate their voting power to other members of the same body to vote in their absence, and/or to select additional representatives. A person so designated is called a "proxy" and the person designating him or her is called a "principal". Voters usually have to provide a reason for using a proxy, such as being away on vacation. A narrower subset of reasons is permissible if the proxy is to be for more than one election. Except in cases of blindness, the validity of all proxies must be certified by someone such as an employer or doctor. The Electoral Reform Society has proposed the abolition of proxy voting in the UK except in special circumstances such as when the voter is abroad. No. All members are acting in a personal capacity and the constitution does not permit proxy voting for them. 22/11/16 3

4 How does the Show of Hands method work? This method, in its simplest form, requires a count of hands raised by those present to any motion. It is only appropriate for a small number of voters, and usually used for relatively simple decisions (usually binary i.e. A or B) It requires the voters to be validated at the point of entry and then tight controls on the counting process, e.g. to ensure someone does not vote twice (by raising both hands or voting for more than one option), or someone s vote to be missed. What are the benefits of Show of Hands? This method is usually very simple and often used to rubber stamp decisions (i.e. the number of people who vote one way significantly outweigh the ones who vote the other way). In small elections / ballots it can deal effectively with non binary decisions with very limited protocol. This method of voting tends to be quicker, avoids unnecessary formalities and extra costs, and the result is immediately available. What is the downside of Show of Hands? It does not work very well where there are a large number of voters or a large number of choices or when the decision making is complex. It is extremely rare for this method to be used for a large population of voters. Voting using this method may lead to confusion and significant embarrassment to voters as they have to declare publicly their views. This can lead to intimidation during and after the vote. Small groups could manipulate / intimidate voters and this could cause disruption to the proceedings. Voters who cannot attend the voting centre may feel disenfranchised. A large location is required (to comply with health and safety regulations) to house all the members in the same place at the same time. This is complicated further with the need to comply with any segregation requirements. Where a vote is close, the decision as to whether the resolution is passed can be subjective unless an accurate count is taken. No. Apart from the logistical headache of getting 300+ people in the same space at the same time, the issue of pre-validating the entrants and the mechanics of the count etc. make this completely unworkable. 22/11/16 4

5 How does electronic voting happen? Also known as e-voting. This is voting using electronic means to either aid or take care of the chores of casting and counting votes. Depending on the particular implementation, e-voting may encompass a range of internet services, from basic data transmission to full-function online voting through common connectable household devices. The process is very simple, each voter receives from an independent third party, a unique username and password, which is automatically generated by the system. The voter can log into any device, which has an internet connection and cast their vote over a specified voting period. You will not be able to vote twice and you cannot select more or less than the permitted number of options (hence eliminating the most common causes of spoilt ballots). Once a vote has been cast, the system will not allow the voter to cast a vote again. At the end of the voting period the results are automatically counted and reports of the ballot are produced. What are the benefits of electronic voting? Can be conducted by an independent third party, which can eliminate the chance of election mismanagement or fraud. An auditable trail helps increase voter confidence. Electronic voting technology can produce results almost immediately, thereby reducing the cost of paying staff to count votes manually. Eliminates long line-ups at polling stations and can be spread over several days for increased voter convenience. It addresses accessibility issues for persons with disabilities, illness or those who may find it difficult to attend a polling station. Since electronic voting utilises electronic ballots, there are no rejected, mismarked, or invalid votes. Results are automatically calculated, eliminating the need for manual tabulation or dreaded recounts. Of course, electronic voting also helps reduce human error. Electronic voting technology will be a useful way of improving voter registration, to increase engagement and voter turnout. Most people (children to OAPs) have smartphones and use s or at the very least have access to assistance from family. A properly designed online voting system has safeguards in place to assure security of ballots and protection of voter identities, thereby eliminating the risk of intimidation. 22/11/16 5

6 What are the downsides of electronic voting? A lot of time and effort must be invested to ensure that the voters are aware that electronic voting is an option and that voters are able to understand and use the on-line system to cast a ballot. It is perceived that without correct education it would be difficult to engage electors, particularly for the elderly and those who are not technologically literate. We all live in the technological age with the use of the internet impacting almost all aspects of our lives. Unfortunately this can come at a cost, with greater risks to hacking, denial of service, downtime, electronic fraud etc. On balance, yes. PICC have concluded that this is the most appropriate and efficient method of voting to fulfil our main objectives above. 22/11/16 6