Elections are technically and politically demanding enterprises, requiring sound management and specialized skills. While under heavy political and time pressure, electoral management bodies (EMBs) are expected to conduct elections that are credible and acceptable to all stakeholders. To achieve these goals, EMBs must ensure that elections are not only technically sound but also politically acceptable and legitimate. As a result, there is little room for errors that may call into question the integrity of the electoral process. Yet, and despite the significant expertise needed to conduct successful elections, the field of election administration is still not regarded as a profession in many quarters and the professional and capacity development of electoral staff is not as prioritised as it would need to be, neither among governments, donors, electoral assistance providers or election managers themselves.

Meticulous and accurate implementation of electoral procedures, and suitable skilled staff, are both key elements for the delivery of credible elections. EMBs need to ensure that all election officials, whether core staff or temporary workers, are well trained and acquainted with the necessary skills to apply high professional standards in the implementation of their technical work. EMB members and staff need appropriate skills and, most importantly, a commitment to the principles of electoral management, including integrity, impartiality, independence, transparency, efficiency and service-mindedness.

Professional training prompts public trust that the entire process is “in good hands” and visible professionalism in an EMB gives political parties, civil society, voters, donors, the media and other stakeholders the confidence that electoral managers are capable of undertaking their tasks effectively. A lack of visible professionalism in electoral management, on the other hand, will lead to public suspicions of inaccurate and perhaps fraudulent activity, and a lack of trust and it will make it easier for complaints from election losers to find public support, whether the complaint is valid or not. Professionalization of election administration will also enhance the autonomy of EMBs, making them less susceptible to political manipulation.

The benefits of training and professional development activities are not immediately tangible and are often of little interest for the government and EMBs generally have a difficult time persuading governments and Ministries of Finance to approve budgets that contain sufficient funds for these activities.

Changes in electoral procedures and increasing sophistication of the processes are such that even the most experienced staff cannot rely on experience alone in order to adequately perform their tasks. Furthermore, EMBs must cope with the typical “brain drain” that often leads the most qualified staff to move to better paid positions in the private sector or with international organisations, and the consequent loss of institutional memory.