Official Oversight
In every electoral system, there is at least one body responsible for the official oversight of election administration. This may be a separate office within the electoral policy or management body (such as an auditor or inspector general). It can also be a separate institution, including a legislative committee, a court or a statutory body; examples are the Commissioner of Canada Elections and Mexico’s Federal Electoral Tribunal.
Inspector general or auditor general offices provide oversight of the electoral process on a regular basis. In some systems, they work together with electoral administrators to improve management and the electoral process; this is part of their mandate to promote savings and curb waste and abuse. This type of oversight can help managers identify systemic deficiencies and make corrections to ensure compliance with all regulations and achievement of intended results.
An inspector general or an independent oversight commission may also investigate complaints made by employees or other participants in the electoral process. The complaints may be allegations of misconduct or mismanagement, illegal activities, waste, abuse of authority, or public health or safety threats. [1]
NOTES
[1] Comptroller General of the United States, Government Auditing Standards, 2003 Revision.
Canada: Investigators Manual (2004)
Audits
