Implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
The sheer size of the database necessitates the use of ICT technologies to manage the volume of data. Indeed, EEC manager Murray Wicks states that ICTs are core to the operation of the Centre, as reconstructing the rolls from paper records would be both incredibly time-consuming and significantly more error-prone. Nonetheless, the presence of paper records (i.e. the filed, signed registration forms) do serve a purpose as they enable independent verification of the accuracy of the data capture and processing activities of the Centre, and ensure that the Centre is not exposed to challenges of creating uncorrectable or unverifiable disenfranchisement as a result of system inaccuracies.
Innovation Focus
Given the budget-based funding of the EEC, and the performance measures expected by New Zealand Post that the Centre improve compliance, reduce costs, and be innovative, investment in continually improving and evolving ICTs has provided the most significant contribution to the organisation meeting its performance targets. New Zealand Post has historically had a culture of being an early investor in new technologies (the Post Office was selected as the first agent to undertake the Registry function because of its leadership in computer technology), and this has transferred into the EEC. Contestability of the contract with the Minister of Justice incentivises the EEC to continually search for ways to reduce costs and improve accuracy, leading to the Centre being one of the world leaders in the development of electoral registry systems. Rather than being slow to invest in ICTs, the EEC has been stimulated to seek technological solutions in order to continually improve its performance in line with the targets set by its parent. Consequently, ICT investment has been seen as the principal means of achieving cost reduction, whilst internal capability is the main driver of innovation. These two factors combine to provide improved enrolment data that ensures compliance to the legislative and contractual requirements that govern the Centre.
The specialised nature of electoral registry functions, the idiosyncrasies that characterise the electoral processes and electronic commerce and government regulations of different countries, and the vesting of the intellectual property rights to the systems in the governments that commission them, mean that "off the shelf" systems that meet New Zealand requirements are not available. Hence, the applications utilising the EEC's ICTs have been developed internally. The Centre maintains its own technical development staff in-house. These staff are charged with identifying innovative ways in which technology can be used within the organisation's operation. In common with the trends in the ICT industry, turnover of most of these staff is frequent (average tenure is approximately three years). However, turnover at the ICT management level is not frequent (the Centre manager has been in the Centre twenty years and the ICT manager fifteen). Peter Kelly sees this as strength, as knowledge of processes is maintained in the organisation at the managerial level, whilst newcomers often contribute fresh technology ideas. Many new ICT staff are recruited through the Centre's graduate recruitment processes, or are semi-experienced staff looking for their second or third industry placement.
System History
Evidence of the Centre's innovation using technology is provided by its system history. Innovation has occurred in both the central computer database repositories, and in the technologies used to capture input data and provide outputs.
Following the initial Post office investments in the electoral management system (EMS) in 1980, the Centre shifted from SCS to Datacom as the preferred supplier in 1991. In 1997 EMS and ANGEL, a software application used for the entry of the electoral roll were introduced. Elections.org.nz website was launched in the same year. In 1998 personal computers were upgraded and in 1999 Registars Of Electors (ROEs) were able to use a Windows based system. In 2000, an on-line enrolment and update facility was introduced onto the web site. Walk lists, a new mechanism for tracking electors generated through the database, were introduced in 2000. In 2001 continuous enrolment was introduced and ROE had access to external email for the first time. The Intranet was released in the same year. In 2003 Datacom was replaced by Catalyst and real time computer systems were introduced.
Prior to the current on-line system the Centre had Olivetti terminals to capture remote electoral information for central processing in batched operations. These were replaced by personal computers with supporting host systems before a move to Microsoft Windows based system. The system was enhanced with supporting database packages. However, updating information remained a batched process that had a lag time of twenty-four hours from the time of data entry. This triggered a need for an on-line real time system, which enabled increased accuracy, faster response times to clients and timely communication to electors. On the 15th September 2003 the current web-based system was launched.
The relational database uses an open source platform that enables customisation with various interfaces and enables the Centre to develop and maintain its own system without being constrained by vendor requirements. It reduces costs, as there are no license fees, and reduces the risk of the Centre being "held up" by proprietary vendors in relation to operating system maintenance and update. In Peter Kelly's words, "when an election is called, the database has to perform - [the Centre] can't afford to be held hostage by a vendor seeking to extract monopoly premiums". The cost of this decision is, however, the requirement to keep skilled open source developers on staff. This is not seen as a problem as the Centre must maintain its own systems development staff for applications in any case.
The new system also has the ability to support electronic voting if this is required and has capacity to add new applications. This new infrastructure has been deliberately normalised and maintained as a general-purpose technology to enable interfaces with other infrastructure. Maintenance of voter data is a significant security issue, but Peter and Murray acknowledge that these have been accommodated in the design of the system. For example, on the website, name, date of birth and house number prompts are required. There is no prompt for street name, which acts as a security check.
The implementation of the web-based relational database has streamlined the process for providing more accurate and timely data to clients. It enables staff to view historical changes against names and addresses in various constituencies and hence track changes.
The system was designed to support the business rather than be the core of the business. There is recognition that "a computer cannot decide if two people are the same" and that there is some degree of judgment required by field staff. The front end of the system mimics the format of the physical forms that are used by the business. A stable business model enables technology to be used as a support mechanism.
Back to Top