Status of election observers

Election observers should be treated as jury in criminal trial. And they should be paid for thir civic duty. Like a jury they should issue a verdict after session presided by the election judge Without signatures of both party observers the result should be deemed illegitimate. They also should be provide with close look on counting in one table and "two by two" (two observers for each two counters) countering process.

All actions for each counting table should be recorded by a separate camera ot a set of camera with different views to avoid injection of fraudulent ballots when observers were absent. All votes counting should be stooped when one of the two observers for each table observers needs a break.  Observers should enter the room where this activity takes place first and leave the last. Until the quorum of observer is reached no counting activity can be started. At night precepts should be guarded by police to prevent unauthorized access to ballots.

A brief synopsis of the findings of 2020 elections suggest that there were widespread suppression of observer efforts, violation of their status despite widespread cases of people casting multiple ballots and election clerks running the same ballots via tabulator multiple times.  This process further deteriorated toward the end of the countring process, which was assessed negatively by most observers from Republican Party on battleground states.

Actual the counting process should be complete in less then 24 ours since the deadline for voting. Any results provided after then should be viewed with extreme suspition. No "night break should be allowed" as happened in 2020 elections.

There also should be special mechanism for preventing Democratic Party from exploiting its advantage in a sense the low paid clerks and clerks from minorities (mistakenly) identify with this party, despite the fact that Democratic Party now is now the Party of Wall Street (whole FIRE sector to be more correct), tech moguls and neocon lobby. There should be similar to a criminal trial competitive environment in which partisan manipulations should be exposed by the members of competing party.   To prevent this advantage from materializing in the form of in voter fraud the reverse discrimination might be useful (for example 40%: 60% ration between members of Democratic Party and Republican party among the clerks.   

The United States, specifically Georgia, is in dire need of international election observers. Such observers, according to Duke University’s Judith Kelley, “can — under some conditions — lead to improvements in conduct and quality of elections.” College Democrats of Georgia call for election observers - News - albanyherald.com

The United States, specifically Georgia, is in dire need of international election observers. Such observers, according to Duke University’s Judith Kelley, “can — under some conditions — lead to improvements in conduct and quality of elections.”

You can see how limited observers rights are from the reading Election Observer Appointments and Information, Nov. 3, 2020 General Election - Elections - County of Marin

Election Observer Appointments and Information

Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters, Elections

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Appointments

Welcome to the Marin County Elections Department, and thank you for your interest in the election process.

Please select an appointment time for observing the election procedures. Due to limited space, pandemic regulations and health concerns we want to accommodate all observers as best as possible. Please consider other observers when selecting your appointment time in 2 hour increments per day if no other appointments are scheduled.

Observer Protocol

Read the following information to ensure you understand the new protocols as an observer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all mitigation protocols, as advised by the Marin County Public Health order, are being followed with strict accordance. Visit the Marin County health order, and help keep us healthy and safe during this election.

1. All observers are required to sign in, wear badges and a face covering, and sanitize your hands before entering. The hand sanitizer and extra masks are provided.
2. Please read the rules and ask any questions you may have.
3. It is essential that you remain 6 feet from other team members and/or observers. Staying in the designated observation area is required for your safety and ours.
4. Prior to the observation experience, a designated team member will take a few minutes to explain the process to be viewed.
5. Designated team members will check with observers once each hour to answer questions.
6. Observers will be asked to move to the lobby when the election team takes breaks and lunch.

Again, Thank you for your interest. You are welcome to return to observe the election process. Use the online appointment calendar to schedule each visit.

Sincerely,

Lynda Roberts,
Registrar of Voters

Election Observer Rules

Rules are Established using California Elections Code and Marin County Health Regulations

1. Observers must always sign in daily upon arrival and departure. You must wear an observer badge. When signing, you are affirming that you have read the rules for observation.
2. No eating or drinking is allowed in the work area.
3. No use of cell phones, cameras, or recording devices are permitted in the office.
4. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet will be observed at all times. The elections official will determine the location for observers to view the requested process.
5. Observers cannot assist in operations, touch or handle any ballots or other election-related materials. Observers cannot challenge action of staff.
6. All questions concerning a procedure shall be directed to the supervisor in charge and not directly to the employees.
7. Observers shall avoid physical contact with employees. This a matter of health concerns.
8. Due to space limitations, and a need to physically distance, the number of observers will be limited to one at a time in each work area.
9. Observers will be allowed into the work areas only when employees are performing election operations.
10. Operations will continue as scheduled whether an observer is present or not.
11. Observers may call in advance to find out when staff will be working on a specific operation, or operations the staff will be working on that day.
12. An observer may be asked to leave for failure to follow rules. Violation of security by an observer may cause expulsion from the building or relocation by a sheriff’s deputy or building security.

More information can be found on our Election Observer Plan page.

NEWS CONTENTS

• 20201211 : Independent observers key in reducing abuse of incumbency ( Independent observers key in reducing abuse of incumbency, Dec 11, 2020 )

Old News ;-)

[Dec 11, 2020] Independent observers key in reducing abuse of incumbency

Mrs Mary Awelana Addah, the Programmes Manager of Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), said monitoring and documentation of abuse of incumbency for publication by an independent body would ensure legitimate use of public resources.

She said incumbent public office holders abused their incumbency mostly because of their parochial interest to retain power at the detriment of national resources.

That phenomenon created an inherent incentive for them to abuse public resources, even to the extent of influencing the outcome of elections.

Mrs Addah said this at the closing ceremony of a two-day training workshop for 32 media practitioners in Accra sponsored by Global Affairs Canada.

The project seeks to enhance the skills of the participants to facilitate the GII's national monitoring exercise on 'Abuse of Incumbency and Electoral Corruption before and during the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections'.

The exercise will track potential incumbent abuse of state resources and monitor the extent and variety of corruption in the 2020 elections.

It would also help promote the creation of a level playing field as a result of the monitoring and publicity exercises and contribute to achieving fairness and clean elections, Mrs Addah said.

Even though Ghana had witnessed seven elections with three successful transfers of power from one political party to the other, issues of abuse of power and corruption among public officers still existed hence the importance of the exercise to make office holders accountable, she said.

Mrs Addah said the role of an independent observer was key in enhancing transparency and increasing public confidence in the electoral process.

Article 55 (11) of the 1992 Constitution provides that the state makes the effort to ensure that all political parties have equal access to state media to present their plans and programmes to the populace.

Mr Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director, Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult, entreated journalists not to allow their personal opinions and preferences to influence their reportage during elections.

He said journalists must avoid wearing distinctive signs to indicate either a party or candidate affiliation.

Mr Ameyibor said journalists had a role to play in monitoring elections to ensure transparency in the voting process and, therefore, implored them to respect the electoral laws, rules and regulations whilst monitoring electoral activities.

He urged them to refrain from publishing information that encouraged division and aggressive discussions to incite violence and endanger social cohesion.

Mr Michael Boadi, the Fund Raising Manager, GII, advised journalists to be professional in the discharge of their duties in the impending elections.

He was optimistic that the participants were equipped with the necessary skills to collate and document corruption and incidences of abuse of incumbency.

Participants were taken through the General Overview of Ghana's Election and Impact; Overview of Monitoring Abuse of Incumbency and Electoral Corruption; and Legal Framework for Elections and Abuse of Incumbency, among other topics.

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Last modified: January 18, 2021