to allow for reasonable objections to the presence and calls for the removal of entries on the voter lists of persons who have died, are underage, or are otherwise ineligible to vote. While there are many different methods for voter registration, it appears that the best practice is the maintenance of permanent lists that are periodically updated, at a minimum of once a year. Voters should be fully informed of their ability to check the accuracy of their registration. If the authorities fail to make requested corrections, the individual should have the ability to seek further review, including by a court. Regardless of the system used for creating and maintaining a voter list, it is necessary for the system to be transparent and open to verification by voters, political contestants, and election observers. Public awareness campaigns and voter education can support voters in actively exercising their right to be registered as a voter and to participate in the process of checking the accuracy of voter lists. 32. Equitable access to the media The right to fair and non-discriminatory access to the media is recognized by Paragraph 7.8 of the Copenhagen Document, which requires participating States to “provide that no legal or administrative obstacle stands in the way of unimpeded access to the media on a non-discriminatory basis for all political groupings and individuals wishing to participate in the electoral process”. This implies that political parties and candidates must have non-discriminatory, unimpeded access to all media, as well as equal treatment by media owned or controlled by the state. This covers all forms of media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and evolving forms of communication such as the Internet. The free time provided by the state media during election periods should be allotted under an established formula that can be applied objectively. Examples of such application include regulations that specify: (1) the percentage of broadcast time to be distributed to political parties and candidates according to the number of seats they hold in parliament or the results of recent elections; or (2) the percentage to be distributed to political parties and candidates, including extra-parliamentary parties, on an equal basis, regardless of parliamentary strength. It is also desirable that the amount of broadcast time distributed on an equal basis be sufficient to enable all political parties and candidates to compete effectively in the elections and for voters to gain sufficiently accurate information upon which to make informed political choices. Public debates on television between all candidates have been observed as a positive trend in OSCE States. Candidates and parties contesting an election have experienced difficulties with access to the media by having to overcome undue financial and bureaucratic barriers. In some States, certain political groups are not covered by the state media at all. For instance, their campaign events are rarely shown or are distorted to give a negative impression. When paid political advertising is allowed, there should be a guarantee of open access and equal treatment with respect to the ability of election contestants to sponsor private political advertising. Paid political advertising can be an important means for political parties and candidates to present their messages to the electorate, but measures to ensure non-discriminatory access are necessary, and there should be limits on the amount of time purchased by any one party to ensure a more level playing field. Further, paid political advertising should 10 Common Responsibility: Commitments and Implementation