scrutineer
{{short description|Person who observes any process that requires oversight}}
{{refimprove|date=September 2014}}
A scrutineer (also called a poll-watcher or a challenger in the United States) is a person who observes any process that requires rigorous oversight. Scrutineers are responsible for preventing corruption and detecting genuine mistakes and problems.
{{cite web|title= All About Poll Watchers: Rights & Responsibilities|url= http://www.chicagoelections.com/en/serving-as-a-poll-watcher.html|website= Chicago Board of Election Commissioners|accessdate= 30 March 2015}}
The scrutineering process most commonly occurs alongside voting in an election. The scrutineer observes the counting of ballot papers to ensure that election rules are followed. There are other uses of the concept; in motorsport, a scrutineer is responsible for ensuring that vehicles meet the technical regulations.{{Cite web |title=Scrutineering |url=https://www.motorsportuk.org/get-started/volunteering/scrutineering/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=Motorsport UK}}
Politics
File:Scrutineer sheet for Australian Federal Election, 2013.jpg ]]
File:Ballot box scrutineering.jpg are empty when sealed and that the seals have not been tampered with at the end of polling]]
Rules vary concerning the number of scrutineers from a political party who are allowed to be present at each polling station. In some jurisdictions, each candidate or party may have one scrutineer or poll-watcher per constituency or precinct where voting or counting takes place. In other jurisdictions, such as in Australia and Canada, each party is permitted to appoint one or two scrutineers per polling booth. Scrutineers are often required to refrain from contact with voters, from wearing or displaying political slogans, or from otherwise exerting influence on the conduct of the election while it is taking place. Scrutineers also may report back unofficial results to their campaign headquarters, as the official results can take some time to be issued.
Sport
File:World RX - 2018 - RD6 Sweden (41303479520).jpg supercar at the 2018 World RX of Sweden.]]
Scrutineers play an important role in many motorsports. Racing series typically have a set of technical regulations to which the cars, bikes, or other vehicles must conform.{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=24 HOURS OF LE MANS: WHAT IS SCRUTINEERING? |url=https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/24-hours-of-le-mans-what-is-scrutineering/6365 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=FIA World Endurance Championship}} The role of the scrutineer in this case is to confirm that vehicles entered for the race meet the relevant regulations.
Design and engineering
Someone who carefully verifies the accuracy of technical specifications, drawings, or configurations as they apply to a specific discipline field.{{Sentence fragment|date=November 2020}}
Competitive dance
Dancing competitions (especially dancesport) employ (usually professionally certified) officials who oversee judging and tabulate scores. Software is often used to aid with tabulation.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/candidates/scrutineers.htm Scrutineer’s Handbook for federal elections] published by the Australian Electoral Commission
Category:Political terminology