Both election monitors (who have power to intervene and rectify any shortcoming in the electoral process, such as the UN in Namibia in 1989) and election observers (who do not have powers to intervene and must only report what they have seen, for example domestic organisations’ observer missions and international observers from organisations such as the EU, AU, OAS, and OSCE) are critical players in the electoral process. Their primary role is to assess the quality of the electoral process and to determine whether elections have been free and fair (or meet some other agreed measure of acceptability) or not. The role of election monitors and observers is more critical in a highly polarised society where there is a need for an independent voice to generate consensus among political players on the rule of electoral game including the acceptance of election results.

It is important that the EMB create and sustain a good relationship with monitors and observers, based on a sustainable and well-developed strategy. This could include the development of observer briefing packs or manuals which could cover issues such as the observers’ code of conduct, extracts from the electoral laws on registration, voting, ballot counts, etc. The briefing pack could also include lists of polling stations, counting stations, EMB contact addresses including those of local electoral managers, all political parties and observer organisations, information on emergency services, such as police and hospitals, and also general information about the country.

The EMB could organise observer pre-election briefings (some weeks before voting day) especially for long term domestic observers and international observers who are already in the country. A further round of observer briefings could be arranged some days before voting day, whenever most domestic and short term international observers are ready for deployment. Such briefings could cover issues about

• the EMB’s state of readiness for elections,
• the legal framework for the election,
• its logistics plan for voting,
• counting and announcement of results;
• issues of security;
• the EMB relationships with political parties, media, government, and civil society; and
• the rules governing observer activities and behaviour.

Monitors and observers that are well-informed about the electoral process in general and the EMB operations in particular are less likely to make incorrect conclusions about the performance of the EMB and the quality of the elections as a whole.

It is increasingly becoming a common practice for EMBs to invite political parties and civil society to attend observer briefings so that these stakeholders can brief observers about their impressions of the EMB’s preparedness for elections. The EMB needs to carefully consider the advantages of doing this against potential disadvantages. Some disgruntled politicians or other electoral participants may use this forum for electioneering purposes and to attack the EMB, even when such attacks are unwarranted.