The Role of Electoral Commissions in Building Public Trust

1. The Role of Electoral Commissions in Building Public Trust Forum for the Future of Democracy, Kyiv, 21-23 October 2009

2. Table of contents • The public trust and... • ... the creation and composition of the election commissions • ... the assignment of the election commissions • ... the public activity of the election commissions

3. 1. The creation and composition of the election commissions • 2 distinctions are possible according: • ... to the dependance of the EMB they can be: • i) Governmental • ii) Independent • iii) Mixed • B) ... to the members of the EMB • i) Politician members • ii) Independent, election professional members • iii) Mixed

4. 2. The assignment of the election commissions According to their mandate EMB can be assigned for A) Short term, only for election period B) Different election commissions are set up for periods, with short term mandate C) Permanent electoral body – assigned for specified or unspecified period

5. 3. The public activity of the election commissions • The functioning and the activity of electoral commissions, as well as the data that is at the disposal of electoral commission - with the exceptions provided by law – are public. • Publicity of the electoral process cannot influence the secret ballot, nor does the legal right regarding individual’s protection, or of his/her personal data. • Anyone has access to the information data of the scrutiny in the same conditions, charge free or paid. • The electoral office issues a document regarding information on the scrutiny (the time and the place, the candidates, the electoral lists, the developing of the elections, the results of the scrutiny).

6. E) The name of the members of the electoral commission and the name of the president of the electoral office, the addresses of the electoral offices shall be communicated on the regular means, locally, and the data regarding the National Electoral Commission shall be published in the Official Gazette. • The electoral offices make sure that the voters receive general information regarding the voting, on the voting methods and an answer to any questions on this topic. • On the day of elections, before the end of the voting, the electoral offices may provide information on the number of voters and the participation rate. • The ballot box (the box where the votes are collected) can also be made of glass • The publicity of great events (bomb threaten, sudden death) that take place on Election Day.

7. Election management bodies have a key role in building and maintaining public trust in election processes. Both the organization, the dependence or independence of the commissions (material and immaterial), the combination of the members as well as the publicity of the activities of the election management bodies need to stand for interests of the community and not for those of the different political parties. Transparency of the activities is highly recommended in order to create confidence in elections. Impartiality, transparent and public working methods, well established communication and voters’ education is important to consider for EMBs and this is why the 20th annual jubilee ACEEEO conference will focus on the role of the independent election management bodies.

8. Thank you for your attention! Anna Sólyom project manager www.aceeeo.org asolyom@aceeeo.org