Election day
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Polling agent guide

Check in, report turnout and incidents, and submit results, online or by SMS.

This guide is for polling agents. Keep it with you on election day.

Before you leave home#

  • Charge your phone and carry a power bank.
  • Open the Sauti Field app and make sure it has synced.
  • Have your station code and your private six-digit PIN. Do not share your PIN with anyone.

At the station: check in#

In the app, choose Check in. The app records your location at the station. You must have been verified by SMS code beforehand.

During the day#

  • Turnout: report the number of people who have voted when asked.
  • Incidents: report anything that affects the vote. Choose a category and severity (low, medium or critical), describe what happened and, if safe, attach a photo.

Important: Do not include people's names, phone numbers or faces in descriptions or photos unless they are essential. Photos are reviewed and redacted before others can see them.

Critical incidents notify your coordinators immediately.

After counting: results#

  1. Enter the votes for each candidate in ballot order, exactly as on the official results form.
  2. Take a clear photo of the signed results form.
  3. Submit. Your entry is compared with the other agent's entry for the same station.

When there is no data: use SMS#

Text your campaign's reply-capable number. Replace CODE with your station code and PIN with your private PIN.

Action SMS format Example meaning
Check in IN CODE PIN You are at your station
Turnout TO CODE PIN 420 420 people have voted
Results RS CODE PIN 1=120 2=90 Candidate 1 has 120 votes, candidate 2 has 90 (ballot order)
Incident IC CODE PIN OTHER Report an incident of type OTHER

You will get a confirmation or an error reply. SMS results stay unverified until the form photo is submitted through the app. Opt-out words always take priority, so never start a report with STOP.

If something goes wrong#

  • Lost phone: tell your coordinator immediately. They will sign the phone out and wipe it.
  • Forgot your PIN: your coordinator can issue a new one.
  • Threats or violence: get to safety first, then report.