Open Zambia To Help Keep Elections Fair On August 12th
We at Open Zambia have an important announcement to make. On August 12th we will be publishing the results of a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) as part of our efforts to make these elections as free and fair as possible.
This means we will be sharing regular updates on which candidates are ahead in the polls on election day, as well as other vital information such as voter turnout figures and reports of electoral malpractice. These results will be published in as close to real time as possible and will be accessible via the dedicated PVT page of our website, which will be launched next week.
What Is A Parallel Vote Tabulation
A Parallel Vote Tabulation – or PVT – is an election observation method which involves taking a representative sample of polling stations to deliver an independent tabulation of the election results. It is a highly respected form of election observation which has been deployed at numerous national elections, notably in Nigeria in 2019 and Zimbabwe in 2008.
During a PVT, independent observers are stationed at selected polling centres to monitor the process of the election and record the posted vote at each polling unit. These observers transmit this information back to the central data centre for analysis. This data can then be used to make independent and statistically backed estimates of the vote-share per candidate. This is also known as a quick count and it helps to verify the official results of an election to make sure voting was free and fair.
As well as indicating the results of the election, a PVT also gives an idea of important statistics such as voter turnout and PVT observers are able to report any acts of electoral fraud or violence that they might see. All of this is vital to ensuring that Zambia’s elections run smoothly and that the official results are free from manipulation.
What Do We Hope To Achieve?
By conducting a PVT, Open Zambia hope to ensure that the official results of the 2021 General Elections can be independently verified, thereby reducing the risk of the election being stolen.
We are posting election observers at as many polling stations as possible, in order to maximise the accuracy of our count. This will also help us to document any instances of electoral fraud or violence wherever they crop up. During the count, we aim to give regular updates of the presidential election results, as well as voter turnout at each polling station.
However, this is highly reliant on a number of factors, not least on verified observers and polling agents being allowed to do their jobs without intimidation or threat of violence. Communication networks will also be vital to this work and the results of the PVT will likely be slowed down or undermined in the event of an internet blackout. See here for more information.
Overall we hope to deliver an independent tabulation of the election result which is accurate and fair, thereby providing an additional layer of security to these elections. We aim to do this to the best of our ability and in the full spirit of Zambian democracy.
How Can I Get Involved?
We are encouraging all our readers to keep a watchful eye out for any instances of electoral fraud or political violence. You should document these events if it is safe to do so and send photos or videos to us via WhatsApp (+27 84 054 8704). We will then verify these and upload them to our incident tracker page.
You should also report anything suspicious ECZ staff or the police.