POSTAL VOTING FRAUD Sandwell MBC Stuart Taylor Head of Counter Fraud Tony Brown ICT Auditor

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POSTAL VOTING - FRAUDSandwell MBCStuart Taylor
Head of Counter FraudTony Brown ICT Auditor
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Introduction

• History
• Type of Fraud
• Issues
• Process
• Summary

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History of Electoral Fraud

• Not a new thing
• First recorded instance of fraud was in Athens
  (circa 470bc)
• US Presidential Elections
• Florida 2000

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Types of Electoral Fraud

• Wherever there is an election, there are always
  claims of electoral fraud
• Voter Intimidation/Coercion
• Tampering
• Impersonation
• Ghost Registration
• Granny farming
• Postal voting

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Well known postal voting frauds

• Zimbabwe
• Nigeria
• Slough
• Birmingham

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Bham Issues

• Would disgrace a banana republic
• The system is wide open to fraud and any would-be
  political fraudster knows that,
• evidence of "massive, systematic and organised
  fraud" in the campaign had made a mockery of the
  election and ruled that not less than 1,500 votes
  had been cast fraudulently in the city.

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Bham Issues (2)

• Bin bags full of postal votes
• Widespread theft of postal votes

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Slough Issues

• The only reason it came to light was the
  incompetence of the fraudsters and the blatant
  nature of the frauds
• Pre-registering of ghost voters
• Despite the 2006 Act, the opportunities for easy
  and effective electoral fraud remain
  substantially as they were on 4 April, 2005.

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PV Here to Stay

• Sam Younger, chairman of the Electoral
  Commission, said the electoral system would
  continue to be "open to abuse" until the voter
  registration system is changed.
• He said it was "not realistic" to take postal
  votes away from voters if they want to use them.

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Facts and Figures

• SMBC
• Total Population (Voting) - gt200,000
• No. of postal votes (requested) 21,000
• 10 of people and expected to rise

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Why is there Fraud

• Close elections
• Cost of failing
• Prestige
• Fear of losing

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Audit Involvement

• Or lack thereof
• Like many, postal voting was probably not an
  issue for Internal Audit
• Three years ago, not even on the Audit horizon,
  let alone the audit plan?

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Why Did SMBC Audit PV?

• For reasons of openness and transparency
• Importance of having strong and robust procedures
  in place
• Electoral confidence
• Or more simply asked by our Head of Governance

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How

• Went on online and researched
• www.electoralcommission.gov.uk
• Spoke to Head of Governance and Election Managers

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PV Process

• Electoral Commission Guidelines
• Application to vote
• Statement of Identity
• Vote itself

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Process

• Main stages
• Postal Voting count (3-5 days before election
  night)
• Polling station visits
• Evening Count

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Each Stage

• At each stage, simple checklist was this
  happening, was that happening
• Strict instructions not to interfere audit have
  no power in elections

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Elections Staff

• Close links with election staff
• Respond to queries
• Visits to properties

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Postal Voting Count

• Attendance at each of the sessions
• Simple checklist
• Computer System
• Always wear an official badge

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Sample Checklist (Extract)
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Polling Stations

• Random visit to polling stations
• Standard checklist

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Sample Checklist (Extract)

• There is a packet clearly labelled as containing
  postal votes available
• The packet is sufficient to take a large number
  of postal votes (Should be just a standard
  envelope)
• The number of the polling station is clearly
  marked on this
• It should be capable of being properly sealed and
  secured at the close of poll
• The Presiding Officer is recording on a suitable
  form the number of postal votes handed in
• There is a log or form for the Presiding Officer
  to record the details of electors who attend a
  polling station and are marked as being an absent
  voter, but who claim not to have applied for a
  postal or proxy vote (take the example log
  provided by the Electoral Commission and compare)
• The postal votes are being kept in a separate and
  secure area

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Official Count

• Attendance on the night
• High profile
• Verify procedures

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Official Count (2)

• But remember
• Pressurised situation especially later on
• Dont interfere
• Unless its important comment the following day

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Report

• Standard audit report, finding, recommendations
  etc
• Action plan
• Reviewed after 6 months for implementation

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Issues Raised

• CCTV
• Uncertainty
• Consistency
• Experienced presiding officers

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Problems

• Lack of authority
• PV can be sent to any address

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Going Forward

• PV on thematic risk register
• On audits annual plan
• NFI Matching of Electoral Register with Council
  Tax (if it ever happens)

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Summary

• Based on Electoral Commission guidelines
• No power
• Close relations with Election Staff

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• No questions please otherwise well all have to
  stay later than we want too
• Thank You