Professional training prompts public trust that the entire process is “in good hands” and visible professionalism in an EMB gives political parties, civil society, voters, the media and other stakeholders the confidence that electoral managers are capable of undertaking their tasks effectively. A lack of visible professionalism in electoral management, on the other hand, will lead to public suspicions of inaccurate and perhaps fraudulent activity. Any lack of trust in the process will make it easier for complaints from those who did not win the election to find public support, whether the complaint is valid or not. In addition, the professionalization of election administrators will also enhance the autonomy of EMBs, making them less susceptible to political manipulation.
Unfortunately, the benefits of training and professional development activities are not immediately tangible and EMBs generally have a difficult time persuading governments and Ministries of Finance to approve budgets that contain sufficient funds for these activities.
Changes in electoral procedures and increasing sophistication of the processes are such that even the most experienced staff cannot rely on experience alone in order to adequately perform their tasks. Furthermore, EMBs must cope with the typical “brain drain” that often leads the most qualified staff to move to better paid positions in the private sector or with international organizations, and the consequent loss of institutional memory.
