RESULTS OFMONITORING AUGUST 9, 2015

LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN HAITI

August 12, 2015

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@ mai 2015

L’Observatoire Citoyen de L’action des Pouvoirs Publics en Haïti

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OCAPH and partners used crowdsourcing techniques to monitor polling stations during August 9 elections.

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■What is crowdsourcing?® When ordinary citizens come together to collect digital

information that clarifies a situation or helps to solve a problem, and increases transparency.

What is the primary reporting mechanism?® Texts (SMS) and photos sent from digital devices – data is sent

to a central database where it is made available immediately and also stored for analysis.

■ How did OCAPH use crowdsourcing to monitor elections?

® OCAPH deployed citizen observers to report on conditions at polling stations in five departments and dozens of communities on election day. They used their digital devices to carry out crowdsourcing.

■ Who took part?® A total of 285 citizen observers took part from a coalition led

by OCAPH that included others like MOFKA, COADDH, and FGH.® More than 1825 SMS messages were sent in.® And about 200 photos capturing key moments at polling

stations were submitted.

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Methodology■ CREATED OUR TEAM

® Formed an alliance with human rights, women’s, and youth groups: POHDH, COADDH and the OCAPH-ACIER coalition (Action Citoyenne pour des Elections Reussies). Put together an agreement with several radio stations in Port au Prince and the provinces to air results of our crowdsourcing action.

■ SELECTED LOCATIONS

® Identifed five departments at relatively higher risk to become target destinations for the crowdsourcing: Artibonite, Centre, Sud Est, Ouest, and Nord Est.

■ TRAINED THE TEAM

® Brought together the men and women who would carry out the crowdsourcing and trained them on crowdsourcing techniques.

■ CARRIED OUT CROWDSOURCING

® On crowdsourcing/election day, team members were deployed to assigned locations . There, they used their cellphones and other digital devices to collect and send on-the-scene information in the form of text messages and photos.

■ ANALYZED AND BROADCAST RESULTS

® Throughout the day, upon receipt at the central database, photos and text were posted online and information was provided to media for broadcasting to local, national, and international outlets.

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Citizen crowdsourcing monitors gather for training.

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Types of Election Incidents with Codes Used by OCAPH Crowdsourcing Team to Report

#C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16C17C18C19C20C21 no observers present

minutes not available

ballot box stolen

some voted several times

polling station not open yetlines too long

ballots not yet arrivedvoters list not posted

voters cannot find their names

voters unable to entertension, unrest

no police officers on siteballot box problems

candidate team acting up

Types of Irregularities

INCIDENTSfires

injuriespotential fatality (unconfirmed)

polling station destroyedvoters fled

pushing in voter line

police remained passive

#Z1Z2Z3Z4Z5

Sud Est

Ouest

Nord Est

Departments

NAME

Artibonite

Centre

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Statistics on Incidents in the Five Departments

OCAPH Monitored by Crowdsourcing

TOUT

BAGAY

ANFOM

PROBLE

ME

ORG

ANISATI

ONEL

LE

SOCIE

TE C

IVILE

SECU

RITE

0100200300400500600700800

118

514

174

712

Number of Incidents

None Logistical Other Security

TOUT

BAGAY

ANFO

M

PROBLE

ME

ORGANISATI

ONEL

LE

SOCIE

TE C

IVILE

SECURIT

E

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

7.77

33.86

11.46

46.90

Percentage by Type

None Logistical Other Security

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Additional OCAPH Statistics on Incidents in the Five Departments

INCIDENT Total %No problems 118 7.77%

LOGISTICALPROBLEMS

 

Polling station not open yet

31

Ballot boxes not available

22

Voters unable to enter polling station

67

Voter lists not posted 20

Line too long 16No access ramp for disabled

50

Voter names not on list 114Some voted several times

97

No minutes of the vote 15Voters pushing each other

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Ballots not yet arrived 8

Ballot boxes stolen 38

  514 33.86%

INCIDENT Total %

OTHER PROBLEMS

No observers 22

Candidate team creating trouble 100

Few women voters 52

  174 11.5%SECURITY PROBLEMS

 

Polling station destroyed 128

Unrest 198

Voters fleeing 73

Female victims of violence 18

Fires 59

Injuries 48

Possible fatal casualties (unconfirmed) 53

Absence of police officers 62

Security remained passive 73

  712 46.9%Total 1518

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Marché de Canapé-Vert – access for the aged and disabled was very limited.

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Lycée de Carrefour Feuilles - congestion.

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Electoral lists were incomplete, preventing some from voting.

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Rue à Carrefour was deserted.

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Polling station at Delmas across from l’Eglise Altagrâce opened late.

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Scene at Marché de Canapé Vert polling stationat 4:00 PM

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Lack of privacy at Marché de Canapé Vert.

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Voting center with little activity.

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Destruction at Saccagé voting center.

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More from Saccagé voting center.

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Saccagé – more destruction.

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Saccagé fire.

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Voters make the best of voting logistics.

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Inside another polling station.

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Voting station with security.

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Elderly citizens were among those who cast their vote.

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A case of straightforward voting.

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Women and youth also turned out to vote.

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Problems identified by OCAPH team

■Overall, grave irregularities. ■Disorganized, sometimes chaotic

conditions.■Low voter turn-out at many polling

stations.■At locations with strong turn-out,

logistical processes botched, including lack of minutes.

■Some polling stations closed.■At other locations, documents burned.■Late openings at other locations.■Locations changed without prior

notice.■Ballot stuffing in favor of certain

candidates.■ Insufficient presence and reaction

from police in the face of unrest and violence.

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Problems (continued)

■Tardy publication of the electoral list.■ Insufficient number of polling stations

set up to accommodate number of voters.

■ Late issuance of legal mandates for some political parties and lack of any mandate for others.

In summary – numerous problems indicate deficiencies in the electoral system structure, management, and communication systems.

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OCAPH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION

OCAPH pledges to maintain constructive dialogue with existing

institutions while also remaining a relentless citizen watchdog

that advocates for governmental transparency, accountability,

and empowered civic engagement. We call on the government

and the Electoral Commission to enact the following measures:

■ Correct August 9 election count flaws so that results accurately represent the will of voters;

■ Arrest those responsible for the election violence;

■ Develop and announce a strategic plan to put additional security measures into place for the next round of elections in October; and

■ Involve civil society as a full partner in preparations for October elections and all future elections to increase transparency and help prevent violence.

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OCAPH RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

More specifically,

■ Increase citizen confidence in the electoral process.

■ To build confidence, make election preparations more transparent, including open dialogue with political parties.

■ Support civil society organizations who conduct civic education and work to enable citizens themselves to hold their government accountable.

■ Encourage citizen monitoring of the electoral process using techniques such as crowdsourcing.

+++

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Contact Us

■ www.ocaph.org

■ ocaphweb@gmail.com

■ Tel: 509- 37252781

■ Facebook: Ocaph