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Observers

The International Constitution, Appendix D, Section 2, subsection I, provides:

“Any candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot shall have the right to have present an official observer of the candidate’s own choosing, who must be a member of the Federation, in all places where ballots bearing the candidate’s name are to be cast or counted.”

Each candidate may designate the candidate’s own observer. A candidate may not serve as an observer (even for another candidate) during the period when voting is actually taking place.

The observers are there to observe; they may not assist in the actual conduct of the election. They may not, while so serving, engage in any kind of campaigning. They may not wear buttons or badges in support of a candidate, pass out leaflets, or attempt to discuss the election with those who come to vote. (These restrictions on campaigning also apply, of course, to the members of the election committee who are conducting the election.)

Observers have, however, some absolute rights. These include the right to inspect the ballot box at any time up to the moment the election is to start; the right to be present in the room where the election is taking place throughout the hours set for the voting; the right to challenge any voter whom they think is not eligible to cast a vote; the right to take such notes as they choose to, including making their own list of who has voted; the right to call to the attention of the election committee members present any violation of proper procedure, which they may observe; the right to remain after the polls have closed and to keep the ballot box under observation until it is opened; the right to observe the actual counting of the ballots, including the right to examine any suspect ballot; and the right to maintain their own tabulation as the election committee counts the ballots. The polling place and the location where the ballots are counted must be set up in a manner that will allow the observers to carry out their responsibilities.

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