Dispute Resolution
Dispute resolution is what prevents the Vote phase from collapsing into post-result escalation. This chapter defines how complaints are processed, how remedies are applied, and how timelines prevent indefinite contestation.
Objectives
- Provide a credible channel to resolve disputes without violence.
- Detect and correct irregularities quickly enough to preserve legitimacy.
- Ensure remedies are real (not symbolic) and rule-based (not political improvisation).
- Produce a record that can withstand later challenge.
What Kinds of Disputes Must Be Handled
At minimum, the mechanism should handle:
Registration and Eligibility Disputes
- Rejected registrations (especially for displaced persons).
- Duplicate registrations.
- Documentation disputes and exception pathway disagreements.
Polling and Participation Disputes
- Polling place access restrictions.
- Intimidation incidents affecting participation.
- Procedural violations (ballot handling, secrecy breaches).
- Disruptions (violence, outages, closures).
Counting and Tabulation Disputes
- Chain-of-custody breaks.
- Reconciliation discrepancies.
- Observer access violations.
- Statistical anomalies (as triggers for review, not sole proof).
Rule Interpretation Disputes
- Application of version-locked rules.
- Any emergency procedural changes.
- Application of vote-to-border rules (if used).
Institutional Design (Minimum Viable Structure)
A credible dispute system typically needs:
- Intake Channel(s): Hotline + written filings + observer submissions.
- Triage Unit: Classifies severity and urgency.
- Investigative Capacity: Ability to gather evidence quickly (including site access).
- Adjudication Body: Independent panel/court/commission with authority to order remedies.
- Appeal Path: Limited and time-bounded to prevent stalling.
- Publication Policy: Decisions published with reasoning (privacy-aware).
Timelines (Recommended)
Timelines must be defined and enforced.
Example Template:
- T0 (Incident): Event occurs.
- T0 + 24–48h: Complaint filed and acknowledged.
- T0 + 72h: Preliminary assessment and interim measures (if needed).
- T0 + 7–14d: Final adjudication for most cases.
- T0 + 14–21d: Appeal window (only for defined grounds).
- Final Certification Deadline: Fixed date after which results are certified, subject to defined exceptions.
The goal is not speed alone; it is preventing disputes from becoming permanent political weapons.
Evidence Standards and Chain-of-Custody
Define:
- Admissible evidence types (observer reports, logs, records, verified imagery, testimony).
- Chain-of-custody requirements for ballots/records.
- How digital evidence is authenticated (hashing, logs, signed attestations).
- Protections for witnesses and whistleblowers.
Remedies (Must Be Pre-Committed)
Dispute systems fail when remedies are unclear. Define remedies such as:
- Corrective actions: Reopen registration window, reinstate voters.
- Recounts: Full or partial under defined triggers.
- Invalidation: Of compromised precinct results.
- Reruns: In specified locations.
- Sanctions: For obstruction or intimidation (procedural consequences, not just rhetoric).
- Escalation: To Freeze governance mechanisms if violence/disruption is involved.
Integration with Observation and Monitoring
- Observer findings should have standing to trigger investigations.
- Coercion and safety incidents must be linked to Freeze monitoring and escalation channels.
- Systematic obstruction should be treated as a high-severity integrity breach.
See:
Certification: How the Vote Ends
Define a certification protocol:
- Who certifies: (Commission + Observers + Audit authority).
- What documents are required: (Audit report, observer report, dispute summary).
- What happens if criteria are not met: (Pause, rerun parts, or fallback mechanism).
