Planning Monitoring Activities. Once decisions on organizational development issues for the joint monitoring effort were established, NDI helped the groups develop work plans for each of the monitoring areas. This planning approach involved working backwards from the date of the election and included three key steps: creating a list of important events, activities, and milestones; plotting activities on a timeline; and reviewing the workload according to the time needed to implement the activities. This technical assistance also involved recommendations on refining budget projections for specific activities, and advising on staffing needs, qualifications and relevant experience to conduct the day-to-day operations of election monitoring. Building a Volunteer Network To lay the groundwork for an effective volunteer election observer network, Mario Medal from Etica y Transparencia (Nicaragua) facilitated planning sessions with staff from Acción Ciudadana and CALDH, the two organizations charged with building the network. NDI provided staff with comparative methodologies for recruiting volunteers, and building alliances with other institutions and sectors to strengthen their volunteer base. NDI also helped staff members prioritize their workload, and answered questions about their role on election-day, what tasks volunteers could undertake, and how to deal with time constraints, logistical difficulties, and funding limitations. Throughout the planning process, NDI advisors Xxxxx and Xxxxxxx provided regular feedback on progress, with recommendations on how to modify plans as necessary. One of the first recommendations NDI makes to civic groups preparing for an election observation is to ensure that domestic observers can obtain accreditation in a timely fashion in order to access the polling sites on election-day. While Guatemalan observation regulations were generally favorable to the rights of national election observers, NDI recommended that the monitoring groups establish an agreement with the electoral authorities to facilitate the accreditation process, which required photos. Accordingly, the groups maintained on-going communication with the TSE, which helped expedite the tedious process. XXX advisors also attended volunteer training activities, helped train election monitors and advised Acción Ciudadana and CALDH on developing joint strategies for recruiting and deployment of volunteers; establishing a volunteer code of conduct; developing the content and design of observer checklist...
