Assessment of Electoral Result Management through a Phone-Based Digital System: Case of Political Science Association University of Kabianga (PSAUOK), Kericho– Kenya.

Abstract

Electoral management has become a sensitive undertaking among states and other institutions, and it is done to determine good outcomes for enhanced governance. Student elections, like any other, require a result management threshold geared to building future democratic ideals through practices in the college micro-political environment. At the same time, it involves professionalism in following practices and nurturing the processes whose outcomes are satisfactory to the electoral/voter. Electoral result management should be one that can easily be monitored and verified by the stakeholders involved. Electoral result management has been a case of conflict in many larger jurisdictions. The applications of phone-based digital systems can save costs, time, and accuracy if the actors involved intend. Known Mobile phone voting offers numerous merits to users. Despite these attributes, voting via a mobile phone has challenges prone to many contemporary communications technologies of the 21st century. This study was carried out following the past successful three elections of PSAUOK. With the main objective; Electoral Result Management through a Phone-Based Digital System: Case of Political Science Association University of Kabianga (PSAUOK), Kericho–Kenya. It sought to examine how electoral result management can advance stable professional associations, and establishing the relationship between electoral results medium and outcomes. The study employed qualitative research, where a descriptive survey design was adopted to investigate the phenomenon under investigation. The study targeted different PSAUOK cohort constituency subsets (years 1-4), where a sample size of 38 respondents was drawn from the student population undertaking Public Administration and Human Rights courses. The desired information was obtained through data resulting from a questionnaire. Data processing and analysis was done using an Online Survey Monkey Tool (OSMT) from which the questionnaire was modeled and later administered using the generated link, and analysis was automatically attained real time. The study employed purposive sampling technique on; PSAUOK executives, electoral board members, PSAUOK members, and observers using a questionnaire. A probability mode of simple random technique of every 10 of N (380 PSAUOK membership) from whom slightly above 50% voted was applied to select respondents who participated in the study. The findings form the basis of conclusions and recommendations for inference and improving internal efficiencies of PSAUOK elections.