Traditional election monitoring in Sri Lanka typically involves organized teams of observers who are trained to follow specific protocols in assessing the electoral process. These monitors, often from accredited organizations, focus on key aspects like polling station conduct, vote counting, and overall adherence to electoral laws.

Citizen reporting, on the other hand, empowers everyday citizens to actively participate in the election oversight process. Through citizen reporting, individuals can report real-time observations and potential violations using digital tools and platforms provided by organizations like VIEW. This grassroots approach broadens the scope of election monitoring by including diverse perspectives and on-the-ground insights from a larger number of people. While traditional monitors follow a more structured and formalized process, citizen reporters offer a more dynamic and widespread means of ensuring electoral transparency.

VIEW welcomes volunteers from all walks of life who are committed to electoral transparency and fairness. Whether you are a student, professional, or retiree, if you share our passion for safeguarding democracy, you are encouraged to join our mission. To get started, simply submit your CV to info@viewlk.org .

VIEW provides comprehensive training to all our volunteers, ensuring they are well-prepared to monitor elections effectively. This includes understanding electoral laws, recognizing potential violations, and reporting findings accurately. Our training programs are developed with the direct involvement of our Advisory Committee, which includes election experts, intellectuals in political science, and civil society activists. The core themes focus on the importance of democratic values, the right to vote, citizen responsibilities, election laws, and accurate reporting.

If you witness an election violation, you can reach out to us via our hotlines for assistance in referring the issue to relevant election-related authorities. Please refer to our hotline details page, where you’ll find QR codes for our WhatsApp hotlines.

We take several measures to ensure strict non-partisanship and impartiality:

Clear Organizational Mandate: VIEW’s constitution explicitly mandates neutrality and impartiality in all election-related activities. These principles guide our operations and are reinforced through our policies and procedures.

Strict Non-Affiliation Policy: VIEW’s staff, partners, members, Board of Directors, and Advisors are strictly prohibited from having any political affiliations, accepting any benefits, or engaging in activities that promote or demote individual political parties. VIEW carefully selects its partners to ensure they share our commitment to non-partisanship, avoiding any that have clear political affiliations.

Equitable Engagement: VIEW requires that all partners provide equal opportunities and space for all registered political parties in any dialogues, training sessions, or related activities.

Training on Ethical Standards: All VIEW staff and volunteers undergo comprehensive training on non-partisanship, conflict of interest, and ethical standards. This training instills a deep understanding of the importance of neutrality to ensure that all activities are conducted without bias.
Transparent Monitoring and Reporting: VIEW’s election monitoring and reporting protocols are based on factual observations and are free from any partisan language. All reports undergo rigorous review to ensure they maintain a neutral tone.

Public Communication and Accountability: All public communications are carefully reviewed to ensure they do not favor or oppose any political party or candidate. VIEW also encourages feedback from stakeholders to promptly address any concerns regarding potential bias.