Strengthening Integrity in the Election Process Part 1
A recently published poll has shown that roughly half of Barbadians have doubts over the integrity of persons employed in legally related occupations. Presumably, these doubts are a result of a decline in public confidence in the operations of many of the island’s institutions and systems. If this presumption holds true, it would be of great concern for IGB, since an increase in public institutional distrust could have implications for the electoral process. Therefore, ensuring that the public is certain that elections will operate on a high degree of integrity and administrative soundness is paramount.
This assurance is of relevance since questions and concerns have been raised over various electoral aspects and occurrences. Following the 2013 elections, there have been unsettling claims regarding the illegal practice of vote-buying. The matter was seemingly so severe that it prompted a response from the highest offices in the country. The extent of this problem has also been emphasized by a recently published poll that indicated 26 percent of Barbadians would accept payment for their vote. Yet, Barbadians would be hard-pressed to highlight any concrete measures that were taken to combat this illegal practice.
In recent weeks, concerns have also been raised over the state of the electoral list with regards to potential vote padding, a practice that contravenes the principles of a free a fair election. Issues of campaign finance have also been raised as vast amount of unfettered monetary resources can flow into political campaigns without financial regulations.
In addition to insufficient regulation is the lack of enforcement and the outdated requirements that exist in many election laws. Some of these issues are highlighted in the Representation of The People Act, where for instance, under section 48, candidates can spend 10 dollars per elector in a constituency. However, given the increasing cost of elections, such a requirement is now impractical. Therefore, amendments to such conditions ought to be considered as these laws are undoubtedly routinely breached.
The electoral process could also be undermined by what is an increasingly dated communicative approach to election education. Since the pervious election, thousands of young adults are now of voting age and will be first time voters. Therefore, adequate awareness of voter registration processes and polling regulation matters are vital given their inexperience. This inexperience can lead to errors in procedures and at times an unwillingness to vote. If a smooth administrative process is to be achieved, the effective use of digital technology and social media platforms become necessary. From this perspective, much more can be done to maximize the use of these technologies and platforms for effective voter education.
Anecdotal evidence would also indicate that there is a worrisome level of distrust and numerous misconceptions over the security of the voting process. Chief among these misconceptions is the assertion that politicians can trace who an elector has voted for. This misconception can also contribute to the unwillingness of voters to participate and the fear of reprisal can influence voter’s choice.
Undoubtedly, these matters when left unaddressed, could undermine public confidence in electoral integrity and its administrative success. Addressing these matters will require actions from multiple individuals, organizations and institutions, both from the public and private sphere. As a civil society group, IGB can give prominence to, and assist in addressing many of these matters.
However, with all the above considered, constitutionally, it is the Electoral and Boundaries Commission that is tasked with managing and addressing many of these concerns. Given these issues along with an upcoming election, IGB thought it necessary to reach out to the EBC, with the intent to share our concerns and the EBC’s responses to these concerns. Additionally, inquiries into how IGB could assist the Commission in relations to achieving common goals was also a part of our agenda. IGB has been successful in this attempt and was afforded the opportunity to undertake this endeavor. The EBC’s response was encouraging as institutional and civic society engagement is a hallmark of a healthy democracy. The central purpose of this engagement is to ensure that confidence in the integrity of the electoral process is not only maintained but strengthened.
With this considered, it is now IGB’s intent to continue raising these concerns in the public domain, through a series of public service advertisements, with a view to inform voters for their better understanding.