Elections The ODIHR co-operated closely in 2005 with the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and the Carter Center, in sharing its rich election observation experience in the development of a Declaration of Principles for Election Observation.* This was the first universal effort to outline a code of practice for safeguarding the integrity of objective and impartial election observation as a shared global activity. The document was endorsed at a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters by some 25 international organizations active in this field. * The complete text of the Declaration can be found on the ODIHR website at www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2005/11/16968_en.pdf. management bodies, and a number of election practitioners who observe elections or comment on electoral legislation. The meeting provided a unique forum to exchange information, experiences, and views on election observation methodologies and to discuss challenges and concerns to credible, transparent, objective, and impartial election observation. Despite a lack of full consensus on a number of issues at stake, participants agreed on the importance of election observation while recognizing the need for refinements in observation methodologies. The ODIHR and the Venice Commission developed a one-page generic election observation form in 2005 that will be made available in all relevant official OSCE languages. While this form provides the backbone of the ODIHR’s election day questionnaire, it is regularly enhanced with additional questions formulated on a country-by-country basis to be answered by seconded short-term observers. In addition, the ODIHR has started to provide simultaneous translation of briefings for short-term observers in other OSCE languages. New voting technologies In recent years, new voting technologies applied to elections have been used with increasing frequency. These technologies can pose challenges to the perceptions of transparency and accountability of an election process, as well as challenges to observing electronic voting. Broad public A voter casts her ballot during parliamentary elections in OSCE Albania on 3 July. 14 ANNUAL REPORT 2005