Parties in Mexico use poll watchers not just for oversight but as a tool for electoral advantage.

### Election Data Analysis ###

* Researchers analyzed data from Mexican Chamber of Deputies elections.

* Found a strong positive correlation between party representative presence and their vote share.

### Strategic Deployment ###

* Parties strategically place representatives based on expected opponent activity.

* Representatives are sent where opponents anticipate sending monitors themselves.

### Implications ###

* This suggests poll watchers primarily serve to protect incumbents from manipulation by the opposition.

* Findings highlight that electoral monitoring can have partisan effects, blurring the line between observation and influence.