Compliance with the legislative framework, including electoral regulations, procedures and manuals, is a prerequisite for the achievement of professionalism by an EMB. The term ‘professional electoral administrator’ demands a range of skills beyond those associated with technical or management qualifications in other specific fields. He or she also needs:
- an understanding of strategies for strengthening democratic development;
- a commitment to the fundamental principles of electoral good practice; and
- a strong commitment to high-quality electoral service to all stakeholders.
Specialist professional credentials and relevant management and technical experience help EMB members and staff become professional electoral administrators. They are also committed to the principles of electoral good practice, which include:
- integrity: the ability to carry out duties in a non-partisan and independent manner by not acting to benefit political interests and/or corruptly, and by ensuring that the electoral law, rules and codes of conduct are followed;
- impartiality: the ability to be fair and to afford stakeholders equitable and honest treatment on a level playing field, and to treat all stakeholders in an even-handed, non-partisan manner;
- independence: the ability to work without influence from or being under the control of an external force, such as the government or the ruling party;
- transparency: the ability of the EMB to be open and truthful, and to make timely information and access to EMB records available to stakeholders;
- efficiency: the optimal use of all resources—electoral funds are used wisely, and activities are designed and conducted in a sustainable and cost- effective manner;
- service-mindedness: ensuring that all activity is aimed toward delivering high-quality services to all stakeholders, and in particular voters; and
- professionalism: the meticulous and accurate implementation of electoral procedures, which is a key element of delivering credible elections. EMBs need to ensure that all election officials, whether core staff or temporary workers, are well trained and have the necessary skills to apply high professional standards. Professional training prompts public trust that the entire process is ‘in good hands’.
No matter how great their commitment to their work, the bulk of EMB members are not experienced in the full range of responsibilities associated with leading and managing electoral processes. Professional development for EMB members is as essential as the development of EMB secretariat staff for attaining and maintaining high-quality EMB performance.
As the former chief electoral officer of Ghana has observed, people in the community do not know how the election administration works, and are just as likely to seek information from EMB secretaries, drivers or security staff as they are from operational staff. The EMB therefore ensures in its training that all staff have a basic understanding of its mission and principles.
An EMB’s capacity to perform all of its electoral functions and responsibilities effectively depends very much on the capacities and performance of its secretariat staff. The capacities of both temporary and permanent secretariat staff can be enhanced by implementing appropriate recruitment strategies and vigorous training and development programmes. Most of the issues faced will be similar for all three models of electoral management, although they may manifest themselves in different ways.
Public concerns about an EMB’s professionalism can lead to calls for institutional reform (see the case studies on Mexico and Kenya). However, EMBs with a strong set of values can deliver elections whose results are accepted by stakeholders even though they are still in the process of developing professional staff (for example, in Bhutan).
