Electoral Managers will, on their own initiative or that of their Government, be responsible for
providing extensive information to or otherwise facilitating the work of domestic or international
election observers who can, operating under appropriate guidelines, provide useful feedback to
electoral managers regarding the election process. The following is intended to assist election
administrators in preparing to facilitate observer activities.
Who are Observers?
Observers watch the election process to see that it is being carried out in accordance with the law
and whether candidates, parties and voters are able to participate on an equal basis. They may
watch the whole process - administration, count, campaigning, civic education, parties, media or
just parts of it. They do not have a role in the actual election administration but their status is
recognised in many electoral laws.
International Observers
International observers come from outside of the Country where the election is being held - they
are normally appointed by or on behalf of national governments or international organisations
including academic groups and professional organisations.. Very few international observers
work on an individual basis in an official capacity though often academics are present without
credentials but closely studying the process.
Domestic Observers
Domestic observers are citizens of the Country where the elections are held and are normally
members of an NGO or similar group with an interest in the electoral process but not
representing partisan interests. Domestic observers often target a specific activity in the electoral
process - access for disabled voters to polling sites has been pursued by NGOs in the UK and the
registration of particular ethnic groups is another area which has frequently been targeted by
NGOs.
Domestic Observers can help greatly to spread understanding of the electoral process and to
increase confidence in the community.
Liaison with NGOs and Domestic Observers is dealt with in more detail in see Liaison with NGOs, Observer Groups.
Who observes?
Observer work has developed greatly over the last 20 years and the sophisticated processes now
followed bear little resemblance to the original activity. Election observation is carried out by
many organisations - the United Nations (UN), the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE), various National Governments, the Organisation of American States (OAS),
the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the National Democratic Institute
(NDI) , the International Republican Institute (IRI), Elections Canada, the Organisation for
African Unity (OAU), the Electoral Reform Society of Great Britain and numerous others.
Election observation is not a product in itself - there is invariably a report back to the sponsoring
government or organisation and these reports are normally widely publicised. Observation /
evaluation can be used to assess the effectiveness of programmes of assistance.
What do observers do?
The role of election observers often includes:
- increasing confidence to participants in the election process
- reassuring voters as to secrecy and process
- deterring fraud
- reporting to the national and international community
- in some cases resolving disputes
- evaluating party campaign issues, the role of the media and the use of resources by the
government
- enhancing prospects for improvements to the democratic system and the respect of citizens
for the system and for political parties
- making suggestions to election officials for improvements to the process
What do organisations think about election observation?
Election observation has been a growth industry and the process has attracted some criticism.
Many governments see election observation as important and it is a well funded activity. The
Journal Of Democracy, Volume 8, Number 3, July 1997' article on observers see
Extract on Observers, 'Journal of Democracy' is well worth reading. Anyone who has observed elections will recognise many of
the comments - there is reference to too many groups many of whom do amateurish work, the
rush to hold press conferences and give opinions, the mass of observers who rent every vehicle
and interpreter available, the disproportionate attention to the voting process itself and the lack of
objective assessment of the pre and post election activities and the lack of impartiality of some
observers.
The report highlights the need to reduce the number of International Election Observation
Groups.
Free and Fair
There are many aspects to an election - evaluating the administrative and technical processes is
probably the easiest; even so the use of the words 'free and fair' has now reached an almost
mythical status. Simplifying everything about a complex process to the point where an
evaluation is made that an election is or is not free and fair may not be particularly objective or
helpful. A more considered report setting the election in context to emerging social and political
issues and commenting on the various parts of the process may be more objective. Evaluating
whether the conditions existed for voters to express their will freely is another way of
summarising the role of the observer. It should not be assumed that all observers are absolutely
impartial - some may be election officials concentrating on the technical process, some may be
representing political parties which may have sympathies or alliances with parties or groups in
the country concerned, some may be attached to organisations who have been working on
assistance programmes in the country concerned and who may be reluctant to comment
negatively on the outcome of those programmes.
Lessons from International Observer Groups
Properly conducted election observation can be of considerable value and give re-assurance to
the citizens and Country visited and to the international community . The reports that are issued
can guide and influence improvements to the electoral process. The U N Electoral Assistance
Division and International IDEA invited 17 organisations involved in electoral observation to a
Conference in Stockholm in October, 1995. Some of the comments and conclusions from the
conference report 24 are:-
- the desirability of evaluating the entire election cycle not just the polling process
- getting greater differentiation among observer groups so that some focus on the media,
some on human rights issues, others on party campaigning and so on
- the dangers of placing responsibility on inexperienced and poorly trained observers
- inadequate time allowed to properly organise and conduct the observation
- the desirability of seeking the consent of the main political parties involved
- assessing the pre-election process at regular intervals and issuing interim reports
- distinguishing between irregularities and fraud
- building links with domestic observation groups
- greater co-operation among observer groups
Policies for Observers
The OSCE have clear policies for the role of long term and short term observers see Election Observation Handbook - OSCE
which are an excellent outline of the activities which they feel should be covered. Election
tourism should now be an activity of the past - election observation has developed greatly and
objective and well focussed observation work can be of great benefit.
Election observation for training purposes
The ability of observers to learn should also not be overlooked - election observation is an ideal
opportunity for exchange of good practice. Reverse observation where election officials, parties
and others involved in the electoral process visit and observe systems in other countries should
be encouraged and can be more productive than traditional observation when it comes to
improving standards. Even among practitioners who consider themselves very well qualified in
the electoral process, it is extremely rare to observe an election in another country and not come
away with good ideas. It also has the advantage of bringing home to experienced election
practitioners just how much work is placed on electoral officials by an influx of international
election observers.
Its is in the interests of national governments and electoral officials to facilitate election
observation and exchange good practice. Understanding the background to this work and the
experience of the organisations mentioned above will assist this process.
For further information see Observer Logistics
