Votewatch

As a nonpartisan, nonprofit election monitor, based upon citizen participation, Votewatch focuses on the election process within communities. Votewatch monitors elections by collecting information from voters, concerned citizens and Votewatchers conducting surveys about individual's voting experience at precincts. Votewatch then analyzes this data and reports the results prior to the certification of election results.

Votewatch encourages citizens to report on their voting experience via its web site. It also encourages poll workers and election officials to report on their experience with the voting equipment inside their precinct. Lastly, Votewatch asks citizens to work as volunteer "Votewatchers" who will monitor the election by asking voters questions as they exit their polling location. More specifically, Votewatch is collaborating with various community groups who are committed to its role as a non-partisan election monitor.

Votewatch is a citizen-based non-profit non-partisan organization that works to ensure that the voices of ordinary people are heard and can be acted upon within America's democratic process. Our democratic process requires constant vigilance on the part of our citizens, and we must employ the most effective and efficient technology available to ensure free, fair and unfettered elections nationwide. Through this combination of technology and the need for vigilance, Votewatch is creating the tools that will give all citizens the opportunity to participate in the oversight of our election process.

Votewatch will strengthen each American's ability to uncover, document, analyze and report on electoral anomalies. Working as a Public Service Intermediary (see below). Votewatch will work with citizens to create the transparency necessary to guarantee that our democratic process and principles are being upheld through the election process. Votewatch make election data and analyses available so citizens can correct anomalies where they see fit: in some cases, citizens may independently decide that the necessary response will be challenging election outcomes, prior to the certification of election results.

In order to undertake this mission and facilitate its role as a public service intermediary, Votewatch will employ communication networks, including the internet, television and radio. These networks will give ordinary citizens the opportunity to watch the election, review input from fellow citizens and contribute by adding their own observations.

Initially created as a non-partisan election repository for voter reports/observations, Votewatch provided a way for voters to monitor (in real time), report on, and discuss anomalies at America's polling places during the 2002 election. As a result, Americans were able to share stories of their voting experiences through this online resource. These stories found their way to other citizens and advocacy groups, through the Internet, word of mouth, or media outlets, revealing an array of issues in the voting process. Many citizens were able to recognize that these stories were actionable: these were opportunities for ordinary citizens to make a difference and contribute to our democratic process.

Votewatch has prepared its goals for the 2004 election as a response to the problems that were pervasive in the 2000 election and the changes being implemented under the Help America Vote Act. Focusing on the need for accuracy, transparency and validity, these goals are the beginning of a process that will effectively reform election policy in the United States. These goals include:

1. Determining the accuracy of the election process, particularly in precincts and regions where paperless electronic voting systems have been implemented and where some communities have been hindered in the election process;
2. Creating transparency by providing real time independent non-partisan election data directly to the public through a variety of media technologies;
3. Improving the ability to legally contest elections where there is evidence of voting anomalies. Provide evidence to lawyers and advocacy groups in a timely manner to allow them to file legal contests of election results prior to certification of these results.

Working as the people's election monitor, Votewatch will be a medium and a tool that improves the way citizens actively exercise their right to vote. The concept of working as a public service intermediary is grounded in citizens using communications networks (internet/phone/radio/TV/word of mouth/Print) in varying degrees and at various times to document an issue, formulate corroboration, analyze the issue and report on it in such a way so as to engender an active response to resolve this issue. The documentation and responses are citizen driven: citizens are carrying out their democratic rights and responsibilities.

A PSI provides a means for citizens to express their views, channel their information, and render it actionable. Overall, this utilization of communication networks will strengthen and magnify the impact that individual citizens can have on this and other important issues. Indeed, strengthening the independent contributions from each of these groups can lead to the creation of credible, comprehensive and actionable outcomes that ultimately result in a more effective practice of democracy.

Votewatch has teamed with The Aguirre Group (which provides high quality research on social issues, specializing in projects relating to hard-to-reach and serve populations) to measure specific issues relating to the election process. Selection of these issues will be determined by a panel of content experts; however, some of the questions that Votewatch will be addressing are:

• Does citizen oversight reduce voting anomalies? If so, what are the most effective roles that citizens can take? And, where are citizens most effective?
• Do electronic voting technologies reduce or increase voting anomalies when used at actual polling places? Do these technologies differentially affect specific populations, including those voters who have low technology literacy and may have low functional literacy, such as the poor and the elderly? Are electronic technologies easier or more difficult to manipulate for anomalies than traditional methods?
• Are the new voting registration processes under HAVA creating or reducing problems at the polls? Are different communities affected differently?

Votewatch will also request that all partners and volunteers recognize that Votewatch must maintain strict non-partisanship in order to be an effective, efficient and objective election monitor. As such, Votewatch is unable to support any organization, corporation, political party, lobbying group or individual, or constituency. Votewatch cannot function as a vehicle for points of view; otherwise Votewatch will degrade its objectivity and subsequently debase the credibility of its work product, which includes its collection of data, analyses and reports.

All volunteers and partners will be required to sign a letter acknowledging that their participation in Votewatch is grounded upon agreeing to and understanding this need to maintain strict non-partisanship.