A Guide for Election Observers

Part 1 A basic approach to observing elections: mandate; sources of information; legislation; terms, conditions and code of conduct; recording observations. Part 2 Pre-election day review: the constitution and election legislation; human rights; the judiciary; the military and police; the responsible election body or bodies; electoral boundaries and representation; parties and candidates; political campaigns; the media; civic education and voter information; voter registration; voting procedures; counting procedures; recounts and recourse. Part 3 Election day - observing voting activities: prior to the opening of the polling stations; at the polling stations during voting hours; the closing of the poll. Part 4 Observing the counting process: transportation of ballots from the polling station to a counting centre; counting at the poll or counting centre. Part 5 Post-election day considerations. Part 6 The observer's report(s): "Off-the-cuff" reports; special reports; the observer's report; the observer group report - deciding on contents, drawing conclusions, was the election "free and fair"?. Part 7 Checklists: polling day checklist for observers; observer's travel checklist of materials and supplies.