Overview of the Votewatch Common Cause Election Integrity Model

Action Plan for Election Day 2004 (November 2)

How it works - Volunteers

Volunteering for Votewatch is as easy as going online to www.votewatch.us and, when

registering via the website, choosing from one of five roles to fill.

Volunteer roles for our targeted states are:

1. Votewatcher - Poll Monitor: The most structured position, poll monitors are required
to spend at least four hours in a precinct recording their observations and will undergo
training prior to Election Day.

2. Votewatcher - Exit Poller: After receiving pre-election training, exit pollers will ask
voters to complete a short questionnaire as they are leaving their precinct on Election
Day.

page 1
 Volunteer roles for any location nationwide are:

1. Mystery Voter: Volunteers agree to vote at their local precinct at a specified time on
Election Day, then answer a series of questions about their observations either on the
Internet or via telephone.

2. Reporting Voter: Any voter may register with Votewatch before Election Day and
complete a questionnaire regarding his or her voting experience.

3. Closing Voter: A Closing Voter registers with Votewatch ahead of time and agrees to
vote shortly before closing time at her/his local polling location, and then provides
Votewatch with the final tally of the number of votes that is posted by the polling
supervisor.

How it works – Data Collection

Data gathered by volunteers across the country will be assessed and analyzed by Votewatch’s
research staff, which is composed of leaders in the field of survey research. Using statistical
data analysis, Votewatch aims to identify anomalies in voting results in real-time, providing
insight and information before elections are certified. Votewatch findings will be used both to
determine the accuracy of current election results as well as to identify opportunities for
improvements to the electoral system for future elections.
Votewatch Documentation Approaches and Information Collected

Role Documentation Point of View Sampling Approach Types of Problems Documented

Approach

Votewatcher Exit Surveys via Individual Voter Stratified Random Sample Individual Registration, Accessibility, Check-
Exit Poller Votewatch in, Ballot, Disenfranchisement issues
Technology (some), or Voter- experienced Equipment
Partner Problems; Voter Confidence

Votewatcher Polling Place Observer/Polling Stratified Random Sample Polling Location Accessibility, Check-in,
Poll Monitor Observation via Location Ballot (some), Procedural Issues,
Votewatch Disenfranchisement problems (some),or
Technology Equipment Problems (some)
Partner

Reporting Election Individual Voter Non-Random/ Voluntary Individual Registration, Accessibility, Check-
Voter Experience via in, Ballot, or Equipment Problems; Voter
online survey Confidence

Reporting Election Individual Voter Non-Random/ Voluntary Detailed descriptions of Individual

Voter Experience via Registration, Accessibility, Check-in, Ballot,
online or voter-experienced Equipment Problems;
qualitative Voter Confidence
input form

Mystery Polling Place Individual Voter National Simple Random Avg. voter wait times; Rejection rates;
Voter Observation via Sample Rejection causality; Measure of Voting
Vote411 IVR Difficulty; Measure of Poll Worker
Survey Responsiveness

page 2
Role Documentation Point of View Sampling Approach Types of Problems Documented
Approach

Closing Voter Final Polling Polling Location Simple Random Sample Inaccuracies between precinct tally at poll
Place Tally via closing and election evening cumulative
Vote411 IVR reports produced by county registrars
Survey

Supervisor Recount Observer/ Stratified Random, where Ballot and Equipment Problems (those not
Observation Recounting possible otherwise a readily obvious the voter),
Location or Convenience Sample of Auditability/Verifiability of Vote
Station observable precincts

Research Election Data County/ Universe for State or Trends in over and under vote which may
Partners Statewide County indicate ballot or equipment problems

How it works –Key Partners

Research partners play a key role in several areas:

1. Field Supervision: Supervisors are experienced, trained and paid field survey
researchers who oversee the polling place operations of the Votewatcher team on
election day in three targeted states.

2. Election Day Analysis: Professional statisticians receive data from Votewatch

volunteers in real time, analyze this data using statistical computer systems and publish
their findings to the Votewatch web site, which then allows for data dissemination to all
of the outlets described at the end of this document.

3. Survey Research Methodology Development: Professional statisticians have

developed appropriate filed research methodologies to allow us to scientifically uncover
trends and results.

Common Cause Education Fund (CCEF) has the following responsibilities:

1. Volunteer Recruitment: With a staff of organizers and experts in Washington, offices

in 38 states, and more than 250,000 members and supporters, CCEF will oversee the
recruitment of Votewatch Volunteers.

2. Managing Field Volunteers on Election Day: CCEF will work with Field Supervisors
to manage election day field operations in key battleground states where Votewatchers
will be deployed.

3. Vote411 Call Center: CCEF in conjunction with Vote411 will make available a
telephone voice recording and interactive voice response (IVR) system with toll free
access for voters, who may call the system to describe voting problems that they have
experienced or to provide their response to Mystery or Closing Voter Surveys.

page 3
Votewatch Technology Partners take part by aggregating field data:

1. Data Collection from Exit Pollers: Votewatchers conducting exit polling, at the end
of their shifts, will send voter completed Scantron forms by fax to our technology
partner using the Votewatch toll-free telephone number, where the results will be
recorded directly into the Votewatch database system for statistical analysis.

2. Data Collection from Poll Observers: Polling place observers will call volunteer call
center agents every hour to provide an update on the findings of their polling place
observations. Call center agents will enter this information into the Votewatch data
repository, making this information available immediately to Votewatch Research
Partners.

The Public also helps by being part of a community where they may contribute to the
Votewatch Data Repository of election related information:

1. Online Discussion Forum: An online moderated forum where voters may discuss
election issues, problems at the polls, voter experiences reported elsewhere at the site,
or Votewatch findings and reports.

2. Media Clippings: Reporting voters may add published media stories to the Votewatch
online community for the convenience of other interested readers, providing a central
repository for the latest election news from all media sources.

How it works – Data Dissemination

1. Mainstream Media: Radio, television, print and major online media may subscribe to a
real time content feed of election analysis, voter incidents, and raw data entering the
Votewatch Data Repository. Some will receive real time voice mails from voters calling
the Vote411 telephone system

2. Public Web Sites: Any web site may install a news portlet with links to the latest
election related news reports posted to the Votewatch Data Repository.

3. Journalists: Any journalist may register to receive hourly election day news emails
summarizing the latest election day news posted to the Votewatch Data Repository.

4. Election Officials: Election officials will receive near real time email, fax and telephone
notifications of problems detected by Votewatch Research Partners or Votewatchers in
the field.

5. Advocacy Groups: SMS text messages will be sent to volunteers affiliated with partner
advocacy groups, when they are in the field, to inform them of important election day
findings by Votewatch. These volunteers may then take action by notifying the local
election official of the problem, contact a local media outlet to report the issue or by
visiting the polling location themselves.

page 4