What is a PVT?

  • A PVT is an advanced and proven election monitoring methodology that allows nonpartisan citizen observers to systematically assess the quality of opening, voting, closing, counting and tabulation processes at a national scale.
  • PVTs provide representative and evidence-based information about the overall election day process and can verify the official election results which can help build confidence in the electoral outcome and detect fraud in the vote count, should it occur․

How is a PVT different from traditional Election Day observation?

  • PVTs deploy well-trained, impartial observers to a nationally representative, random sample of polling stations carefully selected by statisticians and rely on rapid reporting technology to transmit observation data quickly and completely to a central data center
  • This enables observers to provide the public with more accurate and comprehensive information about the conduct of an election for the entire country and formulate an accurate projection of the parliamentary results, within a small margin of error․

Why is Akanates conducting a PVT?

  • PVTs, properly done by nonpartisan citizen observers remove uncertainty by independently verifying the official election results.
  • PVTs can increase public confidence in well run elections and reduce potentials for political violence
  • Where PVTs identify shortcomings, they provide an objective basis for seeking peaceful redress and making specific improvements in the process.
  • PVTs produce statistically reliable and valid data on which to base an assessment. The deployment of observers and their reports are not biased in any way.

What is Akanates’ experience with PVTs?

  • Akanates has conducted two sample-based observations, including piloting the PVT methodology for the Yerevan Council elections in September 2018 and parliamentary elections in December 2018

How is the PVT different from an Opinion or Exit Poll?

  • PVTs

-Measure the votes as actually cast and indicates whether the results should be trusted based on information about the voting and counting process.

  • Opinion and exit polls:

- Measure recollections of how people voted.

- Measure opinions and respondents may refuse to answer and/or feel they need to lie.

About the Observation Mission

"Akanates" Observation Mission was established by Transparency International Anticorruption Center (TIAC) and Journalists’ Club "Asparez" (JCA) NGO as well as "Restart" Civic Initiative. The mission partner is the Law Development and Protection Foundation.

The goal of "Akanates" is to promote free and fair elections, integrity of electoral processes and public oversight over these processes.

"Akanates" operates independently, respecting the principle of impartiality and refraining from any action that can be interpreted as support, campaign or counter-campaign for or against any party (party alliance) and candidate participating in elections.