Asking civil servants to disclose their party affiliation is a threat to impartiality
Most recently, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has stated his disdain for the comments made by the Chairman of the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) in which he asks employees to declare their party affiliation. He went on to defend his statements by telling the media that the request is reasonable under the premise of transparency during the voting process and only applies to returning officers, not all of the 16,000 officers working during the general election.
In a statement shared via social media, Prime Minister Dr Rowley said no public employee should be forced to reveal how they intended to vote, “The position of the EBC to question EBC staff about their vote is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. The vote in this country is secret and no person in public employment must be forced to reveal how he or she voted or intend to vote”. He urged returning officers not to comply with this strange and disturbing development by the EBC. He said, “The PNM, which has not been consulted on this matter, is resolutely opposed to this unnecessary and possibly illegal action”.
The EBC plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity and fairness of the electoral process in Trinidad and Tobago. However, the recent comments from the now chairman asking officers to disclose their party affiliation raises serious concerns about impartiality and the potential for political influence. Requiring officers to reveal their party affiliation can undermine their impartiality, a fundamental principle of electoral administration. Officers may feel pressured to favour their own party or face retribution, compromising their ability to make unbiased and impartial decisions.
Forcing disclosure can have a chilling effect on diversity within the EBC. Officers from minority parties or those who prefer not to affiliate may feel discouraged from serving, leading to a lack of representation and perspective. Disclosure can lead to retaliation or intimidation against those officers who affiliate with minority or opposing parties.
Disclosure can also create opportunities for political manipulation. Parties may attempt to influence officers or use their affiliation to discredit decisions, further eroding trust in the electoral process. Since the Trump 2020 election denial, election polarization and partisanship is at an all-time high. By casting doubt on the electoral process, can increase division among party affiliates if influential figures inspired by Trump’s rhetoric, dispute election outcomes.
Requiring party affiliation disclosure can erode trust within the EBC. The public may perceive the commission as politically motivated, rather than a neutral arbiter of the electoral process. By casting doubt on the organisation the public may perceive the commission as politically motivated, eroding trust in the electoral process and potentially leading to decreased voter turnout, increased political polarization, even the undermining of democratic Institutions.
What may be taking place here is far greater than what is known. This disclosure seems to have the intent to create conflicts of interest, as officers may prioritize party loyalty over their duty to ensure a fair electoral process. This seems to be straight out of the Georgia Election playbook for Team Trump where he encouraged election official to find a few more votes that were not there creating an atmosphere for party affiliation rather than country first.
The concern here for many are the legal and ethical concerns. The requirement may violate officers’ rights to privacy and freedom of association, potentially leading to legal challenges and ethical dilemmas, not to mention the damage to the commission’s credibility. The perception of political bias can irreparably damage the commission’s credibility, undermining its ability to effectively manage elections. Rather than disclosure, the commission should focus onstrengthening conflict-of-interest policies, providing training on impartiality and ethics, and ensuring diverse representation within the commission
The EBC must maintain its impartiality to ensure the integrity of elections. Asking officers to disclose their party affiliation is unacceptable and potentially harmful. Instead, the EBC should focus on strengthening its internal policies and procedures to safeguard against political influence.
