OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation to the 2024 General Elections in the United States of America
As a participating State of the Organization for Observation format Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United States of America, through the State In line with the outcome of the pre-election needs Department, has invited the OSCE to observe the assessment, ODIHR has deployed a Limited Elec- forthcoming elections taking place on 5 Novem- tion Observation Mission (LEOM) to the United ber 2024. The Office for Democratic Institutions States. The LEOM format is used where the focus and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the primary OSCE is more on the pre-election environment, election institution for election observation. This is the preparations, the campaign, media coverage eleventh time since 2002 that ODIHR will observe and the handling of election disputes, and where elections in the United States; most recently, fewer concerns are raised about the technical ODIHR observed the 2022 mid-term elections. administration of the voting process on election day. A core team is based in Washington D.C., and First steps Long-term Observers (LTOs) are deployed across the country and will stay for a couple of weeks ODIHR carries out pre-election Needs Assess- after election day to follow the tabulation and ment Missions (NAMs) in all OSCE participating announcement of the results and any post-elec- States holding national elections. A NAM is tion electoral dispute resolution. ODIHR has not a fact-finding visit that assesses election prepa- deployed any Short-term Observers (STOs) to rations and recommends what type of election monitor election-day proceedings and the LEOM observation mission to deploy. The NAM for will not undertake a systematic and comprehen- these elections took place from 13 to 17 May sive observation of election-day proceedings. 2024. Closer to election day, the ODIHR LEOM will be During the NAM, the ODIHR team met various joined by observers from the OSCE Parliamen- representatives from the government, political tary Assembly (OSCE PA), who will just observe parties and the election administration, as well the election-day procedures in several states. as public and private media and civil society. At that point, the ODIHR and OSCE PA missions These meetings enabled a thorough assessment will form an International Election Observation of election preparations and any potential chal- Mission (IEOM). lenges. The NAM looked at the legal framework The observation mission to the United States and technical preparations and considered the will provide a comprehensive analysis of the concerns of key political stakeholders. entire election process for its compliance with The NAM report was published on 9 July 2024, the commitments made by all OSCE countries and is available on the ODIHR website. to hold democratic elections, and with other international standards and national legislation. What will this ODIHR their respective governments. ODIHR thoroughly briefs them, and the observers are obliged to fol- observation mission cover? low ODIHR’s election observation methodology and are bound by ODIHR’s code of conduct for The core team and LTOs will look at a wide range election observers. ODIHR election observation is of activities, including: funded by all 57 participating States of the OSCE. • The legal framework, including federal and state election legislation Deploying observers • Election administration, including voter registration, voter identification, alternative ODIHR aims for balanced geographical coverage voting mechanisms and measures to ensure and considers the different electoral laws and secrecy of the vote practices across the United States, particularly • New voting technologies, focusing on the the extent to which individual states permit type of technology used in the elections, international observation. Pairs of LTOs, each certification and evaluation of these from a different country, combine their different technologies backgrounds and perspectives to ensure bal- • The campaign environment ance and neutrality in reporting. They will meet • Campaign finance various state and county officials, representatives of political parties, civil society and the media • The election dispute resolution process and report back to the core team. For these • Coverage of these elections by the media, elections, the LTO teams will deploy to 48 states including online media from 5 October until 8 November. As with every election observation, the team will also thoroughly assess the implementation of Observation reports recommendations from previous ODIHR election observation missions. A report of the observation mission’s interim find- ings will be published on ODIHR’s website about The mission team two weeks before election day. The day after the elections, the IEOM will publish a report of The LEOM to the 2024 United States general preliminary findings and conclusions. The ODIHR elections started on 30 September 2024. The LEOM will then produce a final report, including mission is led by Tamás Meszerics (Hungary) recommendations for the government and other and is comprised of 15 experts from 14 OSCE institutions involved in the elections to improve the countries and 64 LTOs from 17 countries. process in the future. All reports are shared with the United States government and the public. The core team members have been recruited directly by ODIHR; they are leading international Further Information experts in their field. Most LTOs are sent directly by OSCE countries, meaning they are selected • ODIHR election observation in the United and have their expenses paid for by their gov- States ernments. This is standard ODIHR practice. • ODIHR election observation infographic Most importantly, observers do not represent • ODIHR election observation handbooks
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