EMBs in OSCE/ODIHR election observations Achievements and challenges from the perspective of...
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Transcript of EMBs in OSCE/ODIHR election observations Achievements and challenges from the perspective of...
EMBs in OSCE/ODIHR election observations
Achievements and challenges from the perspective of international standards
and good practice
Tatyana Bogussevich, OSCE/ODIHR Acting Deputy Head of Election Department, Senior Election Adviser
o Focuses exclusively on the administration by EMBs of an electoral process
o Leaves out any other observations and aspects, including legal and political context
o Not an attempt to capture with full correctness and comprehensiveness the special circumstances in each of the States
o Generalizations and tendencies
Overview
Basis of analysis
EMBs in recommendations
EMBs in international standards and good practice
Efficiency: self-organization, service provider
Achievements Elections technically well
administered, within legal deadlines
Greater focus on training, using innovative approaches
Greater use of technology facilitating aspects of electoral process;
Work between elections, including on the basis of comprehensive action plans and lessons learnt
Greater focus on voter education, with use of interactive formats
Focus on enfranchisement and efforts to accommodate special needs groups
Challenges Resources (human, financial)
incompatible with duties Insufficient co-ordination with
lower level EMBs and other institutions
Adoption of last-minute decisions
Need of greater training in particular on counting, tabulation and completion of protocols
Last minute replacement of staff challenges stability, undermines training
Integrity
ChallengesNeed for greater balance in composition Lack of collegiality Formalistic approach to complaints, poorly arguemented decisions;Failures to provide timely and effective legal redressCounting and tabulation assessed considerably more negatively
AchievementsOpening and voting assessed overwhelmingly positivelyMoving towards or established centralized voter registrationDevelopment of guidelines to supplement, clarify legal provisions
Transparency
AchievementsEfforts to publish results by polling stations, post and distribute to observers protocols; Greater trend of sessions open to observers, media, parties;Greater engagement with civil society;
ChallengesGreater efforts needed to publish EMB decisions, meeting agendas and minutes in a timely manner;Reduced transparency of count and tabulation processes; Lack of provisions for observation
Certain common trends, both with regard to achievements and challenges
Benefits of EMB exchange Follow up Technical targeted advice and assistance by
the OSCE/ODIHR
Conclusions and ways ahead