Instructions for COMFREL's foreign volunteer observers

We didn't learn as much as I think we could have on the course Saturday 5, but we did get to know a little bit about what to look for on the election day:

*No weapons or uniforms are alowed on anyone.

*Before the casting of votes starts at 7 am the election official has to show that the ballot box is empty.

*Elderly, handicapped and monks are to vote first.

*The ID of the voter has to be checked before she/he is handed the ballot paper.

*The voters have to stand in line outside the polling office.

*It is not allowed to campaign or say "remember to vote for my party" on the election day or the day before.

* When the polling office closes for voters at 3 pm the ballot papers in the box have to be counted to make sure that they are as many as registered casted votes.

*When the votes are counted, the person who reads them out must show the paper to the observers, party officials and the person who writes the results down. To do this very fast is a violation.

*The person who writes down the results must look at the ballot papers.

The problem we are most likely to observe is that people are not to be find on the list, and therefore not allowed to vote. These people have the right to complain to the National Election Committee, NEC.

David and I are going to observe in Svay Rieng, the poorest province in Cambodia. It will be interesting to see a new part of Cambodia. A part where there is, according to Lonely Planet, literaly nothing do do.


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