Translating transparency under pressure—openness and consistency in Swedish election administration

Transparency is a celebrated ideal in public administration, yet a complex ideal, as it keeps coming back in different shapes and for different purposes. This study adapts translation theory and the concept of a master idea and focuses on how project leaders for Swedish regional election administration translate transparency and navigate between openness and consistency during an election process. Data was collected through serial interviews with project leaders responsible for counting and controlling the votes before, during, and after the Swedish elections of 2022, and analyzed through a thematic qualitative analysis. The major contribution lies in showing how transparency changes during a process with shifting conditions; even though consistency is seen as crucial to guarantee the robustness of the elections, the participants prioritize openness over consistency when put under time and media pressure.