Elections fund established in 2001 (Legislative Alert) permits ODIHR to provide expert advice on electoral reform initiatives, as well as to make recommendations. ODIHR experts regularly join efforts with experts from the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) to offer joint opinions on the legislative framework for elections. In 2007, ODIHR issued six legislative reviews and opinions, conducted jointly with the Venice Commission: III. Developments in the methodology of election observation ODIHR has developed a systematic and comprehensive methodology for long-term observation of elections that encompasses all elements of an election process. ODIHR’s Election Observation Handbook was developed in response to a direct task set out at the 1994 Budapest Summit, whereby participating States mandated ODIHR to “enhance election monitoring preparations and procedures” by devising a handbook. The handbook was published in its fifth edition in 2005, and provides the guidelines that observers use to monitor all aspects of an electoral process, beginning with a review of the legal framework, and including the performance of the election administration; the conduct of the campaign; the media environment and equitable media access; the complaints and appeals process; voting, counting, and tabulation; and the announcement of results. 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 the 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. Country Legislation Albania Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania Armenia Final Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Armenia Joint Opinion on the 26 February 2007 Amendments to the Electoral Code of Armenia Croatia Joint Opinion on the Draft Law on Voters Lists of Croatia Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Opinion on the Draft Working Text Amending the Election Code of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Ukraine Joint Opinion on the Law on the State Register of Voters of Ukraine and even Internet voting options. ODIHR has had the opportunity to familiarize itself with such technologies in participating States; at the same time, the Office has stressed that, when using new voting technologies, OSCE 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, ODIHR has hosted several expert meetings on observation of electronic voting to discuss the Ballot papers are given to a voter during local elections in Moldova, 3 June. 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, Curtis Budden Monitoring the use of new voting technologies Annual Report 2007 15