Electoral legislation in some countries defines not only EMB powers and functions, but also their responsibilities and obligations. Other international and national laws apply to the EMB as a public body, such as human rights and laws seeking to ensure equal treatment for women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and internally displaced people.

As upholders of democratic values, EMBs have behavioural and access responsibilities to the community they serve, even where these are not defined in the electoral legal framework. Some of these responsibilities relate to issues such as transparency, gender balance, sensitivity to customs and traditions, treatment of ethnicity, providing electoral access to marginalized groups and creating conditions that are conducive to fair electoral competition. The South African EMB has created a Governance and Ethics Committee that will develop a policy of social responsibility.