Election administration as a key to ensuring the rights of voters and candidates the focus of new ODIHR handbook for election observers

As part of its ongoing efforts to develop and refine its election observation methodology, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) launched a new handbook on observing election administration on 3 October 2023, during the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

Election management bodies are one of the main guardians of democratic elections, and their activities are central to fostering public confidence in the election process. ODIHR election observation missions pay close attention to the work of election administration bodies, how they ensure transparency, accountability, independence and integrity in their work and how they help voters understand the process.

“We hope this new publication will be a valuable resource not only for election observers, but also for a wider audience, including election practitioners, in understanding how the activities of the election administration comply with cornerstone principles of democratic elections, from integrity and legality through effectiveness and transparency to accountability and inclusivity,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci.

The aim of the Handbook for the Observation of Election Administration is to guide ODIHR election observation missions on how to assess the administration of elections, and to provide those managing elections with a useful reference tool on the main principles, standards and commitments they should be upholding. These key measures ODIHR uses to assess the work of election management bodies across the OSCE region were the focus of today’s discussion. Participants benefited from the perspectives of election management practitioners and citizen observers who frequently work together to identify areas where the administration of the election can be improved.

The handbook is the latest in ODIHR’s continued efforts to assist States in fulfilling their commitment to democratic elections through the sharing of good practices.