Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) - formerly known as “Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT)” - is an election day observation methodology that allows nonpartisan citizen organizations to systematically assess the quality of opening, voting, closing, and counting – as well as official results and, indirectly, the tabulation process – at a national scale and independently verify official results. Using statistical principles and rapid reporting technologies, PRVTs enable citizen observers to provide accurate, timely, and comprehensive information about the conduct of election day and, when appropriate, to quickly estimate where credible results of the election should fall. As we’ve seen repeatedly over the years — trust in the results is heavily dependent on the quality of election day as well as of the entire electoral process.
By using a data-driven, statistics-based approach, citizen election observers are able to accurately evaluate how the election day processes impact the credibility of the results and whether the vote count aligns with official results. PRVTs can reveal the scale and scope of any issues in electoral processes, which can be tracked and any improvement measured over time. PRVTs are also a critical tool for strengthening democracy. They empower citizens to make informed decisions about whether the electoral process and results reflect the will of the people as well as build power, credibility, and resilience for nonpartisan civil society organizations.
NDI’s guide on the PRVT methodology includes the framework and underlying principles behind successful PRVTs and strategies for implementation useful for citizen election observers. Read below for more information on the completely updated PRVT guide.
NDI’s History with PRVTs
The National Democratic Institute is the leading organization supporting the development of citizen observation and building local capacity to conduct PRVTs to promote more inclusive, transparent and accountable elections. NDI has supported citizen observer groups in conducting over 170 PRVTs in more than 50 countries since the 1988 Chilean plebiscite. Today, NDI assists citizen observers to apply the PRVT methodology to monitor election day processes as part of a broader long-term observation strategy of the entire electoral process, including bringing comparative experiences from other citizen observers and contexts.
Process and Results Verification for Transparency: A Citizen Election Observer’s Guide
In response to democratic advancements and innovations as well as emerging threats to democracy around the globe, NDI released an entirely updated PRVT guide, to reflect what citizen observation groups have learned over the course of 30 years conducting PRVTs. NDI’s PRVT guide details everything you need to know about the purpose of a PRVT, how to carry one out, and best practices and case studies gathered from dozens of nonpartisan, citizen observation groups working on real-life PRVTs. This guide builds upon NDI’s previous guide The Quick Count and Election Observation, modernizing systematic election monitoring and analysis to meet new challenges and best practices.
Chapters 1 through 5 provides the basis for understanding, planning, and preparing for a PRVT that is useful for anyone interested in leading or supporting a PRVT, including organization leadership and donors. Chapters 6 through 13 focus on the details and strategies for implementing a PRVT that is useful for technical staff managing the effort, conducting data analysis, and presenting findings. The guide also includes appendices with sample resources and examples from citizen election observers.
The guide is currently available in English and will be available soon in Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish.