Essential attributes of an Independent Model EMB:

• Institutionally independent from executive branch of government.
• Exercises full responsibility for implementation.
• Has some degree of good governance constraints.
• Has powers to make policy decisions independently under the legal framework.
• Composed of members who are outside the executive while in EMB office.
• Members have security of tenure.
• Has and manages its own budget independently of day-to-day governmental control.
• Has autonomy to determine its staffing needs, rules, and policies.

Possible attributes of an Independent Model EMB:

• May be a legal entity which can sue and be sued in its own right (for example Azerbaijan, Kenya, and Lithuania) or may be not a legal entity (e.g. Botswana and Namibia).
• Most usually is formally accountable to the legislature, judiciary, or head of state.
• May have varying levels of financial autonomy and accountability.
• May have financial autonomy through drawing up its own budget and receipt and use of public funds with minimal executive branch of government involvement.
• May have varying levels of performance accountability.
• Most usually has powers to develop electoral regulatory framework independently under the law.
• More usually has broad overall powers and functions for electoral implementation.
• May have powers to hire fire and discipline its own staff.
• May have power to establish its own procurement and accounting procedures.
• Members may be non-aligned ‘experts’ or politically affiliated.
• May have a fixed term of office.
• May have a separately allocated budget from the legislature.
• May receive funding from the executive or the donor community.
• May be able to access personnel from within the public service.

What an Independent Model EMB is not:

• Is NOT part of the structure of a department of state and/or local government.
• Is NOT above the constitution or law.
• Is NOT formally accountable to the executive branch of government.
• Is NOT free of policy, financial, and performance accountability and good governance constraints.
• Does NOT fall within the budget of any government ministry.
• Staff members are NOT necessarily public servants.