In response to an invitation from the Government of the United States of America, ODIHR conducted an election observation mission of a targeted nature to the 2 November elections.

Professor Rita Suessmuth of Germany, former Speaker of the German Parliament, headed the ODIHR mission, which included 92 observers from 34 OSCE participating States deployed throughout the country.

According to the mission's final report: "The 2 November 2004 elections in the United States mostly met the OSCE commitments included in the 1990 Copenhagen Document. They were conducted in an environment that reflects a long-standing democratic tradition, including institutions governed by the rule of law, free and generally professional media, and a civil society intensively engaged in the election process. There was exceptional public interest in the two leading presidential candidates and the issues raised by their respective campaigns, as well as in the election process itself. However, a number of issues were identified, particularly in the context of the ongoing electoral reform process, which merit further consideration."