Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Activities

Mid-term Congressional Elections, 7 November 2006

Voting equipment at a polling station in Montgomery county, Maryland, seen during the U.S. mid-term elections, 7 November 2006. (OSCE/Urdur Gunnarsdottir)
Voting equipment at a polling station in Montgomery county, Maryland, seen during the U.S. mid-term elections, 7 November 2006. (OSCE/Urdur Gunnarsdottir)

In response to an invitation from the US authorities, ODIHR deployed an election assessment mission for the 7 November mid-term congressional elections.

Headed by Giovanni Kessler, the mission included 18 international election analysts from 15 OSCE participating States who were in-country from 23 October to 11 November.

According to the mission's final report: "The United States of America has a long-standing democratic tradition, as reflected in the 2006 mid-term congressional elections, which were held in a competitive political environment, underscored by freedom of speech and broad access to media. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party, the two major political parties in the U.S., contested the vast majority of seats up for election. It is difficult for third parties to effectively contest congressional seats due to stringent ballot access laws and the high costs of an election campaign. However, two candidates, registered as independents, won seats in the Senate."