ELECTIONS A polling-commission member stamps ballots at a polling station in Sofia during parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, 12 May 2013. (OSCE/Thomas Rymer) States at an event in Vienna on 31 October and 1 November. ACTIVITIES In addition to election observation, which is the most visible and widely known part of ODIHR’s election mandate, ODIHR regularly conducts a number of other election-related activities. These activities are broadly aimed at assisting the participating States’ efforts to improve election legislation and practice, and are mostly funded through voluntary extra-budgetary contributions. As in previous years, ODIHR’s activities in the field of elections continued to focus on the following areas: ƻƻ Election observation; ƻƻ Follow-up to observation missions and their recommendations; ƻƻ Reform of election legislation; ƻƻ Development of election observation methodology; ƻƻ Training of observers; and ƻƻ Support for OSCE Partners for Co-operation. Election Observation In 2013, ODIHR continued to deliver its mandate in line with a well-developed and globally recognized election observation methodology, which is based on a long-term and needs-based approach. Electoral processes are assessed for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, good practice, as well as national legislation. Observation activities are typically preceded with the deployment of needs assessment missions (NAMs), which are conducted to assess the preelectoral environment and the preparations for the elections, and to determine whether an observation activity is needed and would bring added value. In 2013, ODIHR conducted 14 NAM visits throughout the OSCE area. If, based on the feedback received, the presence of international observers is deemed necessary, a NAM also recommends the nature and the scope of an ODIHR activity that would best respond to the identified needs. NAM visits are conducted several months before an election and involve ODIHR Annual Report 2013  /   13