URDUR GUNNARSDOTTIR Elections A detachable screen from an electronic voting machine at a Vienna, Virginia, polling station during the US midterm elections, 7 November. While this methodology has not been fundamentally altered since its introduction in 1996, the experience and insights gained over the past decade have led to refinements in some areas and expansion in others. For example, the Office has adapted its methodology to take more detailed account of issues such as the participation of women and the inclusion of national minorities in the electoral process, as well as expanding its media-monitoring methodology and considering the topic of new voting technologies. Monitoring the use of new voting technologies An increased number of OSCE participating States are considering and testing, or are in the process of introducing, new voting technologies, including voting machines, vote scanners, and even Internet voting options. While ODIHR staff have had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with such technologies in several participating States, the Office has stressed that, when using new voting technologies, OSCE 14 Annual Report  commitments must be met in the same manner as when using traditional voting methods. Recognizing that the observation of new voting technologies requires innovative approaches, the ODIHR hosted an expert meeting on “Observation of Electronic Voting” to discuss the challenges of observing an electronic voting process and to identify areas in which the ODIHR’s election observation methodology could be further developed in this regard. Based on the conclusion that key aspects of new voting technologies should be observable, and that such systems should be introduced with appropriate safeguards to better ensure accountability, transparency, and public confidence, a paper is currently being prepared to serve as the basis for a broader discussion to include representatives of election administrations, electronicvoting and legal experts, and relevant international organizations. On this basis, the ODIHR intends to develop guidelines on observation of electronic voting. The ODIHR had the opportunity to expand its comparative experience with new technologies during several elections in 2006, including its assessment missions to the mid-term congressional elections in the United States and to the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, where new voting technologies were widely used. The ODIHR also deployed an expert study team for the local elections in Belgium, a country with considerable experience with e-voting. Publishing guidelines In recent years, the ODIHR has published guidelines and handbooks on a variety of electionrelated subjects that provide detailed guidance for international and domestic observers. In 2006, the Office took the first steps towards developing guidelines for the observation of voter registration. Voter registration laws and practices make up an important aspect of any democratic election, ensuring that the principles of equality and universal suffrage are upheld. Although the ODIHR has commented extensively on these issues in various election reports,