On Wednesday, June 28, the Leader of the Opposition in the Anguilla House of Assembly, Ms. Palmavon Webster, presented some of the main points of a preliminary report on the recent General British Election which she observed as part of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Mission.
Separately, Ms. Webster informed The Anguillian that the overall cost of her travel expenses and subsistence amounted to US$1,950.00 or EC$5,241.99.
The following is the CPA Mission document submitted to the Anguilla House of Assembly and to The Anguillian entitled “Election Assessment Mission- Preliminary Statement”:
Election Assessment Mission – Preliminary Statement
Friday 9 June 2017
Despite the short timeframe, voters cast their ballots in large numbers in an inclusive, orderly and well-managed Election Day, with some concerns regarding the secrecy of the vote, the accountability and consistency of procedures, which were largely overcome by the underlying trust in the process.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK) has conducted an Election Assessment Mission (EAM) to the UK’s snap General Election on Thursday, 8 June 2017. The International Observer delegation comprised 32 parliamentarians and electoral officials from 23 jurisdictions.[1]
Observer teams were deployed to 8 constituencies throughout the UK to conduct their electoral assessments. The designated constituencies were: Birmingham Ladywood, Darlington, East Devon, Edinburgh West, Gower, Hendon, Manchester Central and North Norfolk. These constituencies were selected to provide as broad and varied a sample as possible, based on various considerations, including observation findings by CPA UK in 2015.
On Election Day, the CPA UK EAM observed the conduct of operations in 267 polling stations and 8 count centres. The present statement of the CPA UK EAM’s preliminary findings on the conduct of the 8 June Election Day draws on the direct observations and assessments made by its Observers. A more extensive report, including recommendations will be presented in the coming weeks. CPA UK’s previous Missions have contributed to positive reforms in the UK’s electoral process, for example allowing voters queuing at 10pm at polling stations to cast their votes. Previously polling stations followed a variety of different rules due to a lack of clarity and consistency in this regard.
Pre-Election Day
Following a comprehensive briefing programme provided by CPA UK on 4 and 5 June on observation methodology, international obligations and commitments for elections and the UK’s electoral process, the Observers met with numerous electoral stakeholders in their constituencies, including (Acting) Returning Officers, parliamentary candidates, local officials, police services, civil society organisations, representatives of the media, religious leaders, local interest and student groups. In addition, the Head of Mission met with the Chair of the UK Electoral Commission and spoke with the Association of Electoral Administrators. These meetings, together with observed campaign events and exchanges with potential electors provided the Observers with an overall understanding of the immediate pre-election period and contributed to place Election Day findings in the context of the overall electoral process. The heightened security concerns following the terrorist attacks that took place during the election campaign were among the many issues addressed. The Observers noted that the campaign was particularly contested despite the short time available to plan and finance campaigns, and that citizen engagement was very high. Stakeholders expressed significant trust regarding the accuracy of the Individual Electoral Registration process and of voters’ lists, although suggestions were made on the benefits of simplifying the process to verify individual registrations.
CPA UK EAM Observers were very impressed by the general level of trust which underlies the UK’s electoral process. This trust limits the number of procedural safeguards that are currently necessary to guarantee the holding of genuine elections. Several interlocutors stressed the need for greater voter education and information on the electoral process and polling procedures, a concern that Observers echoed following their Election Day observations.
Advance Postal Vote Opening
CPA UK Observers attended postal vote opening sessions in 6 constituencies. The overall assessment of the process was positive in all observed cases. Observers noted that it was the process where technological applications were most employed. However, Candidates or Party agents were present in only one of the observed constituencies, limiting their capacity to monitor and to potentially present objections during the verification process of a voting modality whose significance is growing in numbers in successive elections. Concerns were raised regarding the secrecy of rejected postal votes, and the application of guidance on procedural aspects. (Acting) Returning Officers (AROs) managed the process effectively; exercising their discretion where appropriate to enhance inclusiveness. In East Devon, where initial administrative errors were made, the AROs took steps to ensure postal ballots would still be counted as valid. The measures for the secure storage of postal votes were considered to be sufficient.
Election Day
Despite the nature of the snap election and the short planning window for election administrators, the poll was well administered according to the Observers’ findings. CPA UK reported that Election Day was largely calm and orderly, with a steady flow of voters turning up to vote in the observed constituencies, in some cases queuing before 7 am. Election Day operations were carried out by often extremely experienced polling station staff in a highly competent manner in the vast majority of the polling stations where polling was observed. The often inconsistent application of polling station procedures and guidance throughout different constituencies and within the same constituency were highlighted by the Observers. This was deemed contrary to the certainty and consistency of the voters’ experience on Election Day and in some cases to the consistency and integrity of the secrecy of the vote. Nearly 50% of Presiding Officers in observed polling station were women, with a larger proportion of women among Poll Clerks (60%).
Opening
The CPA UK Observers attended the opening at 16 polling stations and assessed the conduct of opening operations at these stations as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. All materials were present and all polling stations opened on time in the observed stations, even in instances where Poll Clerks had to be replaced. Some irregularities were reported, including ballot box not properly sealed and polling documents not checked before opening but the Observers considered that these did not affect the integrity or secrecy of the opening process. Although opening procedures were assessed as largely transparent, the CPA UK observers found it regrettable that party or candidate agents, or even tellers, were not present in 14 of the 16 polling stations where the opening was observed, thus undermining levels of accountability.
Voting
The CPA UK EAM observed polling operations in 236 polling stations. The overall conduct of operations was assessed positively in 95% of the observed polling stations. Moreover, in nearly 10% of observed polling stations, the secrecy of the vote was considered to be compromised, due in some cases to: overcrowding, polling station and polling booth layout, voter carelessness regarding the folding of the ballot, and insufficient control by polling station staff regarding the behaviour of voters in the booths, including several direct observations of more than one person in the booth. In 20% of observed polling station the procedures regarding the identification of electors, namely the reading out of their name and voter number were not carried out in the period of observation. The sometimes inconsistent application of procedures was largely attributed by the Observers to unclear instructions. The procedures for assisted voting were respected in 90% of Observed cases and over 60% of those requiring assistance relied on a companion of their choice. Postal ballots were handed over, largely by the concerned elector, to Presiding Officers in 13% of observed polling stations, while proxy votes were handed over in nearly 19% of observed polling stations. These figures are consistent with comments made by various interlocutors regarding the increasing use of absentee voting.
CPA UK EAM Observers noted that parties and candidates very rarely exercised their right to have agents in the polling station, limiting their presence to the deployment of tellers in a relatively small number of observed polling stations. The Observers assessed that the role of tellers was not always understood by voters, who in many cases did not realise that their mandate is partisan and that they are not part of the staff entrusted to administer the electoral process. Presiding Officers took measures to limit inappropriate behaviour by tellers in two observed cases. Polling station staff also responded in various occasions to voters’ concerns regarding the use of pencils instead of pens to mark ballots.
Closing and Counting
Closing procedures were fully respected in all 15 polling stations where CPA UK EAM Observers were present for the closing. The packaging and transport of materials to count centres was followed by Observers and assessed as secure as was the handover of materials to the count centres which was assessed as orderly in all cases. The presence of security in count centres was reinforced given the heightened national security level.
The CPA UK EAM observed counting operations in 8 count centres in all observed constituencies. In contrast to other parts of the Election Day process, the count was well attended by various candidates and party agents. Despite the variety of counting methods and processes, the integrity and security of the process was assessed positively in all cases and the performance of the count centres was assessed very positively in all observed count centres.
The CPA UK EAM will continue to assess the post-election period, including any election petitions until the conclusion of the process. A full comprehensive report on the CPA UK EAM’s findings and conclusions throughout the period of observation will follow in the coming weeks, including a series of constructive recommendations for consideration by the relevant stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission.
The CPA UK EAM thanks the different stakeholders it was able to meet in the constituencies where it observed and particularly the Electoral Commission for providing accreditation to the Observers, and the (Acting) Returning Officers, Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks who were very welcoming and open to the Observer teams around the country throughout the observation period.
About CPA UK
CPA UK offers an independent and impartial assessment of all observed electoral processes with a common methodology focusing on respect for national laws and procedures as well as relevant international and regional obligations, commitments and standards for genuine elections. This is its third EAM in the UK. CPA UK is a signatory of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and all its Observers are bound by Codes of Conduct.
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[1] Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ghana, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Montserrat, New Zealand, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St. Lucia, Tonga, Uganda and Zambia.
