ENHANCING ELECTORAL INTEGRITY: A PRE-POST ASSESSMENT OF POLLING STAFF TRAINING IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/apsr.2025.11Keywords:
Polling Staff Training, Electoral Capacity Building, Pakistan Elections, Election Management Bodies, Electoral CompetenceAbstract
Ensuring transparent and fair elections critically relies on the competence of polling staff. This study rigorously assesses the impact of training on the electoral knowledge and skills of polling staff in Punjab, Pakistan, a crucial component for building electoral capacity. Employing a pre- and post-assessment framework, a standardized questionnaire covering electoral procedures and legal provisions was administered to a large cohort of 7,575 participants. The findings reveal a substantial and statistically significant improvement in knowledge, with mean scores rising from 72.53% pre-training to 92.47% post-training (t(16.75) = 4.25, p = 0.00079). A reduction in the standard deviation further underscores the consistent improvement in participants' electoral understanding. This research highlights that comprehensive training is not merely a formality but a powerful mechanism for minimizing procedural errors, ensuring legal compliance, and building staff confidence. The study contributes significantly to the capacity-building efforts of Election Management Bodies (EMBs), particularly in developing countries across Asia, by demonstrating the pivotal role of training in fostering freer, fairer, and more transparent democratic governance and strengthening public trust.
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