The Election Observation and Democracy Support (EODS) project has been actively following the new trends and developments in election observation methodological aspects.
We are continuously innovating methodology in order to adapt to the rapid evolution of electoral processes and the emerging challenges that democratic processes are facing. In recent years, the EODS project has produced several guidelines documents that supplement the Handbook for EU Election Observation and promote a consistent approach to specific areas of assessment by EU Election Observation Missions (EU EOMs).
Around the world EU missions note the increasing influence of money in politics, which is reflected in their reports and recommendations. At the same time, this has become further complicated by the shift towards digital campaign methods that raise new questions about transparency and accountability, as well as the potential for foreign interference and implications for data protection. To respond to these questions, EODS has recently updated its PRACTICAL CORE TEAM GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING ON POLITICAL FINANCE.
In particular, missions have noted the use of technology for voter registration and identification (often through the use of biometrics), electronic voting and counting processes and results management systems. The increased use of technology in these parts of the election process have raised the risks of attacks on such systems and made cybersecurity a priority for election management bodies and other authorities around the world. To bolster the capacity of EU EOMs to observe these aspects and ensure a consistent approach, EODS has drafted the PRACTICAL CORE TEAM GUIDELINES FOR OBSERVING THE USE OF ICTS IN ELECTIONS.
However, they have also introduced challenges to the integrity of the electoral process, which need to be considered by EU EOMs. Since 2021, missions have regularly included the position of social media analyst (SMA), with social media units monitoring how the rights and obligations of election stakeholders are upheld in online campaigns. To strengthen the capacity of social media analysts, EODS provides them with guidance documents and training, including the EU EOM GUIDELINES FOR OBSERVING ONLINE ELECTION RELATED CONTENT.
EODS continues to follow such developments to ensure the continued effectiveness of EU election observation. It also follows the efforts of other observer groups to address issues and looks for opportunities to exchange good practice. You can find out more by checking out the Useful Readings section of the EODS website, as well as consulting the EOM and EFMs reports.
