Responsibility for Development
Development of manuals for independent observers is within the general responsibilities of the organisations sponsoring election observation. On issues relating to technical procedures for voting, input from the electoral management body can be useful.
Audience
In writing and compiling observer manuals, it must be remembered that they will be used by people from different backgrounds, with varying levels of technical knowledge about elections and different professional or other skills. As many observers will be operating in unfamiliar environments, their manuals should be a complete guide to the election framework and procedures, their monitoring role and responsibilities, observation administration, and observer survival. These subjects are the necessary basis for observer training (see Training for Observers).
Subject Matter
Issues that would need to be covered in independent observers manuals include:
- purpose, scope, and objectives of the observation program;
- the principles of neutral, independent observation;
- the political and cultural background and legal and administrative frameworks for the election, including relevant extracts from electoral legislation and rules, examples, and potential problems or issues of interest which may need special attention;
- list of voting operations administration, political party, community organisation, media (where appropriate), and legal contacts at the appropriate levels;
- identification of required observer activities, including issues to be monitored, methods of monitoring, and action to be taken if irregularities are discovered;
- observer code of conduct, explanation of its meaning, and enforcement provisions;
- statement of rights of observers;
- accreditation requirements;
- examples of election materials;
- use of observer communications systems and reporting requirements;
- copies of monitoring checklists to be completed by observers and instructions on how to complete them;
- personal and group security information, including, where necessary, emergency evacuation plans and mine information;
- administration arrangements for observers, e.g., deployment details, administrative contacts, accommodation information, transport information, logistics, emergency services contacts, training requirements and details, regular and emergency payment arrangements.
(For examples of manuals for observers, see Handbook for Election Observers - Council Of Europe, International Observer Manual, IFES, Albania 1996 and Extract of Poll Workers Manual - OSCE. For further information on reference materials for observers see Observer Reference Materials.)
