Credible election observation requires periodic and transparent public reporting.

The ODIHR regularly publishes a number of pre-election interim reports during the course of an election observation mission. These provide current details about issues such as voter and candidate registration, the political campaign, the work of the election administration, media coverage, and election disputes, and can provide an indication of potential problems in the run-up to the vote.

A preliminary post-election statement is released the day after election day. This statement of preliminary findings and conclusions reflects all of the work of the mission so far, including long-term observation and analysis, and the reports provided by short-term observers on election day. A preliminary statement is issued before the expiry of a number of complaints and appeals deadlines and, most often, before the election administration has announced the final official results of the polls

Once the election process has been completed, the ODIHR carries out an in-depth analysis of the entire process, which it presents in its final report. This draws on the findings of the whole mission, and it includes sections describing the election's political context; legislative framework; the performance of the election administration; voter and candidate registration; the election campaign; the media; participation of women and national minorities; and the voting, counting, and tabulation processes.

The final report also considers whether any reported irregularities or violations of law are isolated incidents or whether they form a systematic pattern.

Ultimately, all elections are assessed in terms of their compliance with OSCE commitments, universal standards, and other international obligations.

The ODIHR does not comment on the outcome of the election, and any comments related to election results are limited to assessing whether the results were reported by the relevant authorities honestly and in a timely manner.

The final report also provides recommendations for the host government on how the process might be improved and brought more closely into line with OSCE commitments.