Transparency Indicators explain the steps taken to compile data, perform a process, and deliver report findings. Our divided nation with a frighteningly sophisticated misinformation apparatus sought to use the zig zag in hour-by-hour vote trends to undermine credibility of hard working, and high integrity election officials.

1. Key Transparency Indicators (KTI)
The vote countingstepsare likelythe same acrosscitiesandstates,butthe orderof executionmaybe
unique.
Transparencyon HOW the data are compiledisprovingjustasimportantasthe vote totalsin the
currentnationwide election.
Fiftyyearsago the televisionnetworksreportingthe vote total hourbyhourstartedexplainingthat
large cityvoteswouldbe reportedlaterinthe eveningthanthe rural areas. Thisis as much education
that viewerswere giventhenanduntil veryrecently.
Mail-inballotsubmittalsbeganseveral decadesagobutproveda tectonicshiftinvotingsubmittal
behaviorthisyear. ElectionofficialsineachState andmajorcityhas takenitsown approachto not only
tabulatingthe mail-inballotsbutalsoeventhe numberof mail-inballots. Knowingthe numberbecomes
importantto informthe viewerhowlongitwill take andwhatthe overall potentialimpactof the mailed
vote will have onthe outcome.
More than ever,same-dayvotingofferslittleinsightandmayleta misleadingimpressionastothe
trendsand the ultimate outcome of atotal vote count.
The differentapproachescitiesandstatestake mayall have the highestintegrity. Butthe lackof the
viewersunderstandingof justwhatthe orderof vote countingdoescause confusion. Worse,those who
seektoundermine the credibilityof anelectionfortheirownulteriormotivescanuse the lackof
understandingonthe orderof vote countingasa weapon.
KeyTransparencyIndicatorsare neededbothforthe total countof votesbystepas well asthe countfor
each candidate. The countof votesmailed-inmaybe knownseveral days beforethe votesare tabulated
by candidate. Stepsthathave a total count and a tabulationbycandidate mightinclude:
1. Election-dayin-personvotingand“dropoff”submittal
2. Mail-inballotsanddrop-off ballots –preferablybydayforseveral daysleadinguptoelection
day
3. Last hour and minute deadlineforapost office date stamp
4. Mail-inballotstime of receiptdeadline toElectionoffice
5. Numberof daysallowedforpostmarkedballotstogetdeliveredtoElectionOffice tobe
tabulated
6. Numberof ballots receivedafterelectiondaybutallowedtobe countedpursuanttoState law
(eachState has differentrules)
7. Workloadmeasure fornumberof ballotsthatcan be tabulatedbyhour (orday) for each
submittal type
8. Numberof ballots postmarkedafterthe deadline
9. Numberof ballotspostmarkedbefore the deadline notreceivedatElectionoffice within
10. The measurementsalignwiththe stepselectionofficesare alreadyfollowing;eachState maybe
slightlydifferentbutideallythe stepsforatleastmajorurbanareas wouldbe as close tothe
same as possible.

2. The abilitytoprovide countsfora stepwill helpthe publictounderstandhow longitwill take toprovide
tabulationsbycandidate. Prognosticatorscanestablishtrendsonthe flyata more granular level:
distinguishingsame-dayfrommail-justastheyhave distinguishedrural fromurbantrendsfordecades.
Mail-invotingonsucha large scale isa major disruptiontovotingbehaviorespeciallyintermsof the
numberof people voting. Electionofficesnationwide have performedremarkedlywell giventhis
suddenshifttoa majorof votescominginviathe mail.
Formalizingthe publicationof the stepswill demystifythe tabulationprocessasanimportantwayto
ensure publicconfidence. Thisconfidence becomesessential inanenvironmentwhere there issomuch
distrustandwhere purposefulmisinformationrisksunderminingourdemocracy.