osce.org/odihr
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
The OSCE Election observation is an important part of efforts by the international community to promote democratic elections as part of broader democratic development, including the
and election promotion of respect for human rights and the rule of law. It is a tool for assessing whether electoral processes meet international standards and commitments for democratic
observation elections, while recognizing that it is the citizens of a country who ultimately determine the credibility and legitimacy of that process.
The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in The OSCE Office for Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest regional security Organization, bringing together 57 countries known as Democratic Institutions “participating States” from Europe, Central Asia and North America, including the United States. The OSCE promotes and Human Rights (ODIHR) security, democracy, and human rights, including by observing elections in participating States, which have will observe the 6 November committed themselves to uphold the key principles of mid-term congressional democratic elections: universality, equality, transparency, vote secrecy, accountability, fairness, and respect for elections in the United fundamental rights and freedoms. States As the main OSCE institution responsible for election observation, the Office for Democratic Institutions and As an OSCE member, the United States has invited Human Rights (ODIHR) assesses the degree to which ODIHR to observe its elections many times in the past. elections meet OSCE commitments and other international This will be the eighth set of elections that ODIHR has obligations and standards for democratic elections, as observed in the United States. The decision to send a well as for their compliance with national legislation. Since limited election observation mission (LEOM) is based its establishment in 1991, ODIHR has been invited to on the recommendation of a needs assessment send observers to more than 350 elections, in 56 OSCE mission, carried out by a team of election experts who participating States. Already this year it has carried out visited the United States in May. The LEOM will consist activities in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Italy, Hungary, Montenegro, of a core team of experts, based in Washington, D.C., Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and plans to as well as a team of long-term observers who will observe a number of elections yet to come, including in meet with electoral stakeholders across the country. Sweden and the United States. The observers will arrive in the beginning of October. osce.org/odihr
Questions & Answers about the On what basis are elections assessed?
ODIHR Observation of the 2018 Mid- The basis for our assessment will be the OSCE Term Congressional Elections in the commitments outlined in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document and other international obligations and United States standards for democratic elections, as well as federal and state legislation. State legislation is particularly important, Why is ODIHR observing these elections? given the specific role in organizing elections that is afforded to the states in the U.S. Constitution. The United States is a participating State (member) of the OSCE and has committed itself to promoting and ensuring How many observers will be sent to follow consistent, high standards for democratic elections, as the elections? have all other participating States. To promote this, OSCE participating States have agreed to invite international In addition to a core team of some 12 to 15 election analysts, observers to follow their elections. This is why ODIHR based in Washington, D.C., the OSCE participating States received an invitation from the United States government have been asked to provide 100 long-term observers (LTOs) to observe. In 2015, the National Association of Secretaries to follow the electoral process countrywide at the state level. of State renewed its 2010 resolution, welcoming “OSCE The ODIHR mission will work closely with observers from the international election observers from the OSCE member OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, who expect to deploy some countries to observe elections in states where allowed by 100 members of parliaments in OSCE countries to observe state law.” election day procedures across the country.
The United States is one of the world’s oldest democ- What will the observers observe? racies. Does it need international observers to assess how it conducts democratic elections? LTOs are assigned to work in teams of two, with each team composed of observers from different countries. The United States, indeed, has a long-standing tradition During their work, LTOs meet with various state officials, of democratic elections, as well as a tradition of inviting as well as representatives of political parties, civil society international observers. Election observers do not interfere and the media, and report the information gathered to the with the election process in any way. They only observe core team. They will also observe election day procedures the process and do not monitor or police elections. No at a limited number of polling stations. After the elections, electoral system or process is perfect. Past elections have they compile their observations into a report which they shown that there are areas where improvements can be share with the United States government and the public. made. ODIHR is one of the leading election observation institutions in the world, with extensive experience gained How do you decide where the observers through the observation of more than 350 elections will be deployed? across 56 countries. On the basis of its experience and expertise, ODIHR can identify possible shortcomings and ODIHR aims to ensure balanced geographical coverage in make recommendations about how to address them. its election observation, taking into account the different electoral laws and practices across the United States. Observers will be deployed to a broad variety of states to ensure this coverage. Is there anything election authorities should Has ODIHR observed previous elections in do to prepare for observers? the United States?
Sharing materials including basic facts about the elections Yes, ODIHR has observed elections on seven previous in their particular state can be very useful for observers. occasions, dating back to 2002, and most recently the This may include, for example, the number of voters, 2016 general elections. All ODIHR reports on United methods of voter registration and identification, candidate States elections can be found on the ODIHR website: registration information, the composition of electoral http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/usa. boards, election timeline, early voting methods, the use of electronic voting systems, the number and location of What was ODIHR’s assessment of the last elections in polling stations, and any requirements to register as an the United States? observer on election day. In its final report for the 2016 general elections, ODIHR con- Given the range of countries from which cluded that the elections “were highly competitive and dem- the observers come, are they all qualified to onstrated commitment to fundamental freedoms of expres- assess elections in a long-standing democracy sion, assembly and association.” At same time, the report like the United States? noted that suffrage rights were not guaranteed for all citizens, leaving sections of the population without the right to vote. The OSCE includes a broad variety of countries; some The report said that, while elections were administered by with long-standing traditions of democratic elections, competent and professional staff, including on election day, and others that have only relatively recently begun their “recent legal changes and decisions on technical aspects of transition to democracy. The experts in the core team the electoral process were often motivated by partisan inter- in Washington are recruited directly by ODIHR and are ests, adding undue obstacles for voters.” leading international experts in their field. Most LTOs are “seconded” by participating States, i.e., they are selected Does ODIHR support the United States in the follow- and have their expenses paid for by the governments up of electoral recommendations? of their countries. This is standard ODIHR practice. The diversity of countries from which the observers come ODIHR’s final reports include recommendations to the protects the observation mission from being dominated authorities on how electoral processes could be further by observers from any one country, or from one group of improved and brought more closely in line with OSCE countries. Most importantly, observers do not represent commitments. ODIHR regularly returns to the United their respective governments. They are thoroughly States to discuss its recommendations with federal and briefed by ODIHR, are obliged to follow ODIHR’s election state authorities, including at conferences of the National observation methodology, and are bound by ODIHR’s Association of Secretaries of State. Over the years, the code of conduct for election observers. Observers must United States has addressed many recommendations made meet the existing visa requirements of any country they by ODIHR, including in respect of voter registration, support are entering for election observation. ODIHR election to election administrators, early voting methods and new observation is funded by voluntary contributions of the 57 voting technologies. After these elections, ODIHR will be participating States of the OSCE. ready to continue its support to the United States. osce.org/odihr
Limited Election Observation Further Information
Mission Timeline: Video on ODIHR Election Observation: http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/179516. Early October – mission opening: ODIHR United States Needs Assessment Mission Report: Core team of 12 to 15 experts based in Washington D.C. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/usa/386292. Up to 100 long-term observers (LTOs) deployed across All ODIHR United States reports: the country http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/usa. ODIHR will be in contact in advance to arrange initial ODIHR Election Observation Handbook: meetings for LTOs with the relevant Secretaries of State http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/68439. and other relevant stakeholders in the state.
7 November: Interested in observing elections in other Presentation of preliminary findings and conclusions at a countries on behalf of the United States? press conference in Washington D.C. Each year the United States sends more than 100 Approx. two months after the elections: observers to join ODIHR’s election observation Publish final mission report with recommendations missions in other countries. In the last year, this included 13 long-term and 188 short-term observers. Contact: For more information on how to observe elections in Radivoje GRUJIĆ other countries, please visit: OSCE/ODIHR Election Adviser/Desk Officer https://www.pae.com/career. for the United States ODIHR encourages all prospective observers to E-mail: radivoje.grujic@odihr.pl undertake its free online learning course, available at: Phone: + 48 22 5200 681 http://www.odihrobserver.org/. www.osce.org/odihr/elections
More information
For detailed information about ODIHR’s activities, or to read any of ODIHR’s publications and reports, please visit www.osce.org/odihr
or contact ODIHR at: Cover photo: 2009 Joshua Nathanson
OSCE Office for Democratic Phone: +48 22 520 0600 Institutions and Human Rights Fax: +48 22 520 0605 Public Affairs E-mail: office@odihr.pl ul. Miodowa 10 www.osce.org/odihr 00-251 Warsaw Poland