Election observation methodologies describe how information is collected, how to analyse it and how to assess it against agreed standards. The data collection includes:
- the legal framework;
- the procedures and instructions;
- interviews with main stakeholders such as election administrators and representatives of candidates and civil society; and
- first-hand information from the actual processes.
The first three points can always be covered provided there is a free flow of information and possibilities for meeting all involved. The collection of first-hand information is dependent on the transparency of the process and the manner in which the voting is implemented. The purpose is to assess whether the processes are implemented according to their descriptions and intentions. In order for the first-hand observation to be reliable, the evidence needs to be collected according to a plan which will provide a representative sample of information covering all parts of the processes.
