Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1995-2020 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.41 m of textual records (3 boxes)
116 digital files (38 MB)
Context area
Name of creator
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Subseries consists of records documenting Nevitte’s activities as a technical advisor to the NDI, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and several of their local partners. Much of Nevitte’s consulting work relates to election monitoring, the detection and prevention of election fraud, and the conditions for free and fair elections. The records reflect several projects spanning from 1995 to 2020 in countries including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burma, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Maldives, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. Several of the projects involved the collection of politically sensitive information. Consequently, the polling firm that conducted the Hong Kong Surveys was raided by the authorities. Materials include contracts, invoices, correspondence, survey questionnaires, datasets, findings, figures, tables, and reports.
Subseries also includes The Quick Count and Election Observation: An NDI Handbook for Civic Organizations and Political Parties, a printed monograph co-authored by Neil Nevitte, Melissa Estok, and Glenn Cowan, and related chapter drafts and outlines. This handbook explains Nevitte’s Quick Count methodology (also known as Parallel Vote Tabulation), which applies statistical theory estimate and compare the final election results using the vote counts of a few randomly selected polling stations to quickly and reliably detect election fraud. The Quick Count methodology is now an international standard and has been applied to several NDI projects around the globe including an observation of the highly controversial Peruvian general election in 2000.
Digital files consist of records relating to the Quick Count methodology as well as projects in Bangladesh, Burma, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Maldives, Morocco, Nicaragua, and Hong Kong.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Files are arranged chronologically.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
- French
- Spanish
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Digital formats include text files (PDF and Microsoft Word) and spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel).