vra ignite m brown

At a Glance: At a Glance: Voter Registration and Voter Registration and

Voter List AuditsVoter List Audits

Michelle Brown

Importance of Voter RegistrationImportance of Voter Registration

Conduct of free and fair elections is a cornerstone of the democratic process.

Voter registration is the foundation for other aspects of the electoral process.

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration

Voter list Audit (VLA)Voter list Audit (VLA)VLA is a scientific and systematic assessment of the

voters' list within the voter registration process

Voter list Audit (VLA)Voter list Audit (VLA)VLA is a scientific and systematic assessment of the

voters' list within the voter registration process Purpose: To verify the accuracy of voters list; To evaluate the quality of voter registration process; To promote broad public confidence in the process on

election day and beyond; and To inform the voters about the voter registration

process

VRA MethodologyVRA Methodology

Computer Tests: internal checks and external comparisons on data using other data sets (Census data)

Statistically rigorous two-way field test a. List-to-people – select names from the voter list and then interviewed them to verified their datab. People-to-list – select and interview voters and then verified their data back to the voter list

Two way field testsTwo way field tests

Voters List Voters List

Eligible Voters/ Voting Age PublicEligible Voters/

Voting Age Public

List-to-people test

People-to-list test

2007 preliminary list Recommendation: Reduce 2007 preliminary list Recommendation: Reduce Number of duplicate entries - name and birth date Number of duplicate entries - name and birth date

May 2008 list: Number of duplicate entries for May 2008 list: Number of duplicate entries for name and birth date reducedname and birth date reduced

Indonesia VLA Methods ofIndonesia VLA Methods of Data Transmision Data Transmision

REcAP

DATA CENTERENTRY

CALL CENTER

SMS CENTER

Postal service

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Guyana’s VLAs 1991, 1992Guyana’s VLAs 1991, 1992

Conducted by the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) in 1991

More than 30 percent of the names on the preliminary voters list (PVL) could not be found based on a list-to-people field test

Guyana’s VLAs 1991, 1992Guyana’s VLAs 1991, 1992

Conducted by the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) in 1991

More than 30 percent of the names on the preliminary voters list (PVL) could not be found based on a list-to-people field test

Results caused the Election Commission to postpone the election

EAB conduct another VLA in 1992 showing big improvements

Indonesia’s VRA 2004Indonesia’s VRA 2004

The VLA conducted by LP3ES and NDI prior to the April elections received high praise from the General Elections Commission (KPU)

KPU needed guidance on how to improve the list The VLA revealed that there were many eligible voters that

were not included on the list.

Indonesia’s VRA 2004Indonesia’s VRA 2004

The VLA conducted by LP3ES and NDI prior to the April elections received high praise from the General Elections Commission (KPU)

KPU needed guidance on how to improve the list The VLA revealed that there were many eligible voters that

were not included on the list. Following the audit release, the Election Commission took

the recommendations very seriously Election Commission decided to conduct additional

registration efforts in April and May for the first round of the presidential election.

Voter’s list audits allow civil Voter’s list audits allow civil society groups to publish society groups to publish

statistically sound and statistically sound and systematically-gathered data. systematically-gathered data.

Voter’s list audits allow civil Voter’s list audits allow civil society groups to publish society groups to publish

statistically sound and statistically sound and systematically-gathered data. systematically-gathered data.

Thank YouThank You

Michelle BrownMichelle Brownmbrown@ndi.orgmbrown@ndi.org

Thank YouThank You

Michelle BrownMichelle Brownmbrown@ndi.orgmbrown@ndi.org