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Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights - ElectionsOffice for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights - Elections

About election observation

The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has extensive experience in observing elections. In the last decade, it has observed around 150 election processes, deploying thousands of experts and observers from the entire OSCE region.

Election observation is one of the most transparent and methodical ways to promote and encourage democracy and human rights.

Election observation is based on two fundamental principles: first, clear commitments entered into by governments for ensuring democratic elections; and second, the simple and incontrovertible rule that an observer is just that, an objective individual who does not interfere in the process.

Methodology

Based on the premise that an election is more than a one-day event, the ODIHR's election observation methodology covers all the elements necessary for a democratic electoral process.
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Deciding where to observe

The ODIHR maintains a rolling calendar to identify upcoming elections throughout the OSCE region. There are, however, many elections in any given year at the national level and below, and the ODIHR has to determine which elections it will observe.
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Observers

All OSCE participating States are invited to send long- and short-term observers to contribute to each ODIHR election observation mission.
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What observers do

The various members of the core team, long-term observers, and short-term observers each have distinct roles in the operation of a mission.
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How an election mission works

An overview of the operations of a standard election observation mission.
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Reporting

The ODIHR provides periodic and transparent public reporting of the elections it monitors.
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Members of a polling station in the Dobrinje neighbourhood in Sarajevo open a ballot box after voting closed in the municipal elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 October 2004. (OSCE)

Members of a polling station in the Dobrinje neighbourhood in Sarajevo open a ballot box after voting closed in the municipal elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 October 2004. (OSCE)