In many countries, such as Botswana, Lithuania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Sudan and Ukraine, EMB members take a formal oath or a pledge of allegiance, loyalty and integrity before taking office. The oath or pledge may be administered by a senior official or judicial officer, for example, the chair or deputy of the Seimas (the legislature) in Lithuania. The oath/pledge-taking binds the EMB members to uphold the country’s constitution and electoral laws. The text of the oath or pledge may be simple, or more detailed. It may also include or refer to the code of conduct or any law governing conflicts of interest for EMB members.

For example, the oath used in Guinea is: ‘I .................... swear on my honor to faithfully and honestly fulfill my duties as a member of the CENI, to obey only the sole authority of the Act, not to engage in any activity that may affect the Independence, neutrality, transparency and impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ), to keep strictly secret deliberations and vote, even after the termination of my functions. For perjury, I face the rigors of the law.’