The election law should make reference to budgetary provision for elections and the registration
of voters. It may specify that the chief electoral officer or the chairman of the national election
body should make a request for funding at election time through the timely submission of
estimates. All too often, however, it seems that in developing democracies there is inadequate
funding, late requests for financial provision, and a reliance on funds from donor countries to
provide essential equipment and materials, including vehicles, computers, printers, ballot boxes
and ballot papers.
Funds are not only needed at election time, but also during the period leading up to an election. .
Prior to elections, the registration of voters, determination of boundaries, identification of
polling places, and civic and voter education all need to be accomplished. If a permanent
national election body is to function efficiently, it needs annual provision. Of course, depending
on the economic circumstances prevailing in the country, this provision may be very small or
even impossible. It may be that provision only at election time is a necessity, and there has to be
a reliance on the generosity of foreign donors for the equipment and materials mentioned above.
Ideally, however, an annual request to parliament as part of the budgetary process for election
funding should be the aim of any democracy, developing or otherwise.
Once funding is allocated, the national election body should have complete control over
expenditure and not be required to refer back to parliament or any government ministry for
authority to spend, subject to the usual government checks. The national election body should
be required to submit annual audited accounts to parliament. Indeed, the national election body
should be answerable to parliament on any spending issue, as is usually the case with any
government department. It is recommended that the auditing of accounts be undertaken by a
recognised independent body within the country.
Experience has shown that a primary obstacle to the smooth development of the democratic
process through free and fair elections is the failure of government to disburse funds on a timely
basis to the election management body (EMB). That is why it is so important for EMBs to be
funded through a direct vote on the election budget by parliament.
The chief electoral officer should be required to produce a multiyear business plan, agreed by
the national body and approved by parliament. This should be a requirement of funding, and any
growth should be in accordance with national fiscal policies. The business plan should include
information about the EMB's mandate and the services it provides to the public, political parties,
candidates and any other clients. Any mission statement adopted by the EMB should be
included, together with a statement about the vision for the future, an assessment of the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of the organisation, and a realistic view on future
activities given budgetary and any other constraints. Donations from political parties should be
expressly forbidden but may be acceptable from commercial or business sources, provided there
is an open disclosure policy and that financial support is reported to parliament and forms part of
the published accounts. Policy on donations from foreign governments and nongovernmental
agencies should be determined and again, if approved, should be reportable and part of the
annual accounts. The national election body should have no power to make donations to any
organisation outside the country, to political parties or groups or to nongovernmental
organisations within the country.
