August 18, 2023
Shared Expectations for Meaningful Election Observation
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Observers, voters and election officials deserve transparent and respectful environments for election administration. Observers play an important role in elections by witnessing the process and sharing what they learn with others in their communities.
We created a set of shared expectations for both election officials and observers. These guidelines will help both election officials and observers fulfill their important roles without an undue burden on election administration.
There are many moving parts and tasks that election officials manage. Helping observers understand these moving parts and tasks allows for meaningful and rigorous observation.
These expectations can be useful to election officials in a number of ways, including:
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As a poster or handout at voting locations and ballot processing facilities
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In your election worker or observer training sessions
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As a code of conduct for your election workers and observers
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Community presentations
What Makes Observation Meaningful?
Observation is meaningful when observers make good-faith efforts to understand the election administration process and respect the rights of others, especially voters, who are participating in that process. However, meaningful observation is not just the responsibility of observers. It can only happen when election officials provide a vantage point with a comprehensive view of the election processes and their security provisions, as well as explanations that provide observers an understanding of how these provisions should interact to provide interlocking protections. The guides on this page are designed as hand-outs for election observers. These guides provide information and context that will help observers perform meaningful observation of various election processes
Definition of Observers: Individuals appointed or invited to monitor and oversee the electoral process to ensure fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles. Their primary role is to impartially assess the conduct of elections and report any concerns to the main point of contact within the election office. Observers, as defined here, do not include challengers which is a separate, while important, role in elections.
Election Process Templates
Shared Expectations Presentation
Observers, voters and election officials deserve transparent and respectful environments for election administration. Clearly communicating these expectations during related presentations can help achieve this.
Shared Expectations Poster
Observers, voters and election officials deserve transparent and respectful environments for election administration. Clearly displaying expectations can help achieve this.
Shared Expectations Handout
To administer free and fair elections, observers and election officials alike must make certain commitments to one another. This shared expectations handout describes those commitments from both parties.
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