Fraud detection measures should include the following considerations:
- Reconciliation forms and the lists of voters are good instruments for the mitigation of fraud as they can be used to detect excess numbers of ballots. Although both were available in the 2009 elections, there was no incentive for their appropriate completion as they were not subsequently used to cross-check the number of voters with the number of ballots cast. Cross-checking of reconciliation forms and lists of voters should be mandatory for future elections.
- Clear and binding procedures for auditing should be in place at the beginning of the electoral process, to avoid last-minute improvisations that are not generally understood by the public. Auditing is just a more precise and targeted way of counting and as such should be in the public domain and conducted in a manner which is transparent and understandable for voters.
- The final number and locations of polling centres and polling stations should be publicised at the beginning of the electoral process. Any kind of changes in numbers or locations should be fully justified and publicised immediately. This would safeguard against the risk of fraud though ballot stuffing, using electoral materials earmarked for polling stations which never opened to establish ghost polling stations.
- Clear and binding procedures should be in place to ensure efficient tracking of all unused electoral material. In order to prevent excess electoral materials being distributed to the provinces and used to commit fraud, only officially listed polling stations should receive electoral material.

Essential - The law should provide for independent candidates to run for elections.
Addressed to - National Assembly.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Amendment to the Election Law.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - At least two years before the next electoral cycle.

Essential - Clear procedures for nomination and appointment of electoral delegates, provincial board members based on merit and experience.
Addressed to - NEC
Possible Improvements Suggested - Elaboration of Regulations to the Electoral Law establishing qualifications and procedures for electoral delegates and provincial board members and applying the Law on Public Service for the rest of election staff.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - Following the appointment of the new NEC.

Desireable - NEC should improve the level of institutional communication with the general public, media and political organisations in order to avoid controversies and miss information and strengthen public trust on a long term basis.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - NEC could have an adequate professional press room as well as more manpower in order to enhance transparency through a more proactive dialogue with electoral stakeholders.
- A closer synergy between the departments of Communication, Electoral Promotion and Civic Education could optimize information strategy.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Implementation of effective procedures to communicate appointments to the polling station committee members.
Addressed to - NEC.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Specific training for polling centres Coordinators on E-day procedures and transmission of results to the next level should be foreseen for the next electoral cycle.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Improve the selection of polling centre Coordinators based on their qualification.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Establishment of a detailed calendar for the verification/update/information period of the voter register by electors well in advance of Election Day. This would allow voters to make addition and changes after the official call for the elections. After the verification period the new NEC should undertake the necessary corrections and display the voter register again at cantonal or parish levels at least 15 days prior to Election Day.
Addressed to - National Assembly; NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Amendment to the Election Law.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - At least two years before the next electoral cycle.

Essential - Voter education campaign should be implemented sooner. An increased degree of outsourcing or network with public institutions and civil society organizations could enhance the process.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - According to international standards, voter education campaigns are necessary to ensure the effective exercise by an informed community on their electoral rights. A best international practice is to undertake widespread voter education campaigns with the support of government and civil society.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer public information and civic education expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities, or support local NGOs involved in these activities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Voter education should include information about the complex election procedures and the weight of their vote in terms of seat allocation.
Addressed to - NEC.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer public information and civic education expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities or support local NGOs involved in these activities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - In line with the provisions of the 2008 Constitution (article 115) and the 2009 Election Law (article 207) that forbid state institutions to advertise for electoral campaigning, it would be advisable that the Election Law would define exactly what is considered campaigning during an electoral period.
Addressed to - National Assembly; NEC; EDT.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Amendment to the Election Law.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - At least two years before the next electoral cycle.

Essential - A clear distinction must be drawn between the state and its activities on one hand, and the election contenders and their campaign on the other. This distinction must be fully observed in the conduct of the campaign in order to avoid the violation of equality of opportunities among the contestants.
Addressed to - Incumbent Candidates.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - The NEC should ensure from the beginning of the campaign sufficient use of free airtime among candidates to allow them to accurately communicate their political program to the electorate. The innovation of the new franjas electorales could be enlarged to cover all the campaign period.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - NEC regulations.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Political parties should develop their internal capacity and structures to stimulate the establishment of their political platforms.
Addressed to - Political Subjects.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Voter education campaigns targeting especially rural and illiterate women should be conducted.
Addressed to - NEC.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer finance to NGOs .
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - More efforts should be made to address women’s rights and issues as campaign topics.
Addressed to - Political Subjects.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - More efforts should be made to address indigenous and afro- Ecuadorian’s rights and issues as campaign topics.
Addressed to - Political Subjects.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Voter education campaign should be conducted in indigenous languages, and adapt to local necessities in order to reach rural and minority population.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - For this purpose increased cooperation with institutions such as CODENPE and NGOs would be recommendable.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer finance to NGOs.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - A new law should regulate the new State-owned media in order to ensure a strict impartial coverage of electoral campaign and equal access to all candidates refraining from giving any unfair advantage to the incumbent. Furthermore new instruments should be introduced setting out the mandate and responsibilities of state owned broadcasters, and their independence from the authorities.
Addressed to - National Assembly.
Possible Improvements Suggested - To harmonize the new constitutional prohibition of all forms of privately financed publicity in electoral campaigns with the respect of freedom of expression.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - Wishfully in one-year time, in the framework of the implementation of the new 2008 Constitution.

Essential - Allow polling station committee members and election co- ordinators to vote in the polling station they work in.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - NEC regulation.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Make polling stations accessible to remote and isolated areas.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - For this purpose increased cooperation with government institutions (CODENPE) and NGOs would be recommendable.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Political subjects should make an additional effort to appoint agents to oversee the election process. These agents should receive proper training in order to fully understand their role in the process.
Addressed to - Political Subjects.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - Less number of polling stations except when serving remote or isolated populations.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - In this regard, the minimum number of electors per polling station should be increased to 400 or, if deemed feasible, to 500.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Desirable - Electors in the queue should be allowed to vote after the closing of the votes.
Addressed to - National Assembly; NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Amendment of the Election Law.
EC Support/Projects - EC should be ready to offer legal and electoral expertise if requested by Ecuadorian authorities.
Timeline - At least one year before the next electoral cycle.

Desirable - To better define the role of members of Polling Stations. At least two members should be involved in the process of counting the ballots, while at least two members should fill in each of the tally sheets.
Addressed to - NEC.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Appointment of dedicated polling station staff for counting and filling in of the election protocols could be an option.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.

Essential - NEC should enhance the accessibility and transparency of the recounting and tabulation process through an orderly and transparent workflow, easy to observe for party agents.
Possible Improvements Suggested - Standardized webcams, observing rooms, Web TV screens can help.
Timeline - In time for next electoral cycle.