Last updated on December 17, 2013

The introduction of electronic voting or counting technologies produces a number of new points at which oversight of the process can and should take place. These points of oversight will vary depending on the technology introduced and the specific vendor system being implemented. Examples of additional observation points for an electronic voting machine system are provided here:

• Certification – it is unlikely certification of the electronic voting machine system would be fully open to observation; if possible, such observation would probably be impractical due to the length of time this process can take. However, documentation about the process should be available and reviewed by observers.
• Source Code Review – the source code should be made available for scrutiny, although this will obviously require party/candidate agents and observers with specialized IT skills.
• Testing – the EMB will need to conduct its own regime of testing, regardless of whether the electronic voting machines are formally certified, and observers should consider observing this testing. Party/candidate agents and observers should also review documentation on testing. 
• Storage and Distribution – arrangements for the storage of electronic voting machines between elections may be observed and an assessment of the security arrangements made. The procedure for handover, transportation and local storage immediately prior to the election may also be monitored.
• Machine Configuration – prior to the election, the electronic voting machines will need to be configured for the election being conducted. This configuration process is critical and should be monitored. This may involve observing that proper procedures are followed, as well as using mechanisms to prove that the loaded version of the software is the tested and approved version.
• Voter Education Efforts – voters will need to be informed in advance about the use of electronic voting machines, especially if they are being used for the first time. Party/candidate agents and observers should monitor and assess the efforts made by the EMB to educate voters.
• Training for Polling Staff – it is important that polling staff are properly trained in the use of electronic voting machines, new administrative and security procedures and what to do if there is a problem with the machines. Party/candidate agents and observers should monitor this training process and determine whether sufficient efforts have been made to prepare polling staff for the use of electronic voting machines.
• Electronic Voting Helpdesk – it is likely that implementation of an electronic voting machine system will include the establishment of a help desk for reporting and resolving problems encountered while using the voting machines during voting. Oversight of this help desk function is also important.
• Audit of VVPAT – the manual count of paper records produced by an electronic voting machine is a vital mechanism for ensuring that the machine functions correctly, but also for building trust in the electronic voting machine. This process must be open to observation and, accordingly, should be observed.