Elections OSCE/MENNO LENSTRA As has been stated many times, sound legislative and administrative structures do not necessarily result in democratic elections, but they are a good place to start. The ODIHR’s support for reform efforts in these areas can lead not only to improved electoral practices but can also enhance dialogue among all those groups interested in the conduct of elections, including government bodies, political parties, nongovernmental organizations, and ordinary voters, and thus contribute to strengthening democratic institutions and processes. Election officials counting votes at a polling station in the southern town of Kulyab during parliamentary elections in Tajikistan, 27 February. assess the implementation of its recommendations. In addition to conducting its own followup exercises, however, the ODIHR also plans to co-operate more closely with domestic non-partisan observer groups to build their capacity to advocate for electoral reform based on ODIHR recommendations. As election stakeholders, these groups could engage in advocacy activities for legal reform using ODIHR recommendations as benchmarks. The utility of followup activities will only be maximized, however, when the respective national authorities are publicly committed to implementing ODIHR recommendations. Other Priorities The ODIHR’s chief election-related priority will remain what it is today: assisting participating States in their efforts to meet their commitments by conducting genuinely democratic elections. In addition to this, the ODIHR plans to work in the following priority areas: ‘Copenhagen Plus’ In the wake of issues discussed at Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings in 2004 and 2005, states have entered into a discussion on possible additional commitments to supplement existing ones, referred to as “Copenhagen Plus”, which would provide participating States with an opportunity to enrich, reinforce, and Programmes and Projects Programmes Region Components Election Technical Assistance Programme OSCE Region 1. Electoral Legislation Alert and Assistance 2. Voter Registration Best Practices Election Observation Development Programme OSCE Region 1. Domestic Observation Capacity-Building IV 2. Guidelines for Media Monitoring in Elections 3. Guidelines on Observation of Electronic Voting 4. Election Observers from Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (Fund for the Participation of Election Experts from Developing Democracies in ODIHR Observation Missions) Projects Women’s Participation in Political Life 16 OSCE Region ANNUAL REPORT 2005