Elections Since its foundation, work on elections has been central to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). In the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document the participating States agreed to ensure democratic elections; ODIHR’s mandate is to support the 57 participating States in meeting this aim. This mandate is implemented by ODIHR through an array of activities, with observation and assessment of elections in the OSCE region being the most visible. This is complemented by follow-up activities aimed at facilitating the implementation of recommendations contained in ODIHR’s observation mission reports. Other election-related activities include reviewing electoral legislation, publishing guidelines and handbooks on election-related issues and training election observers. ODIHR has developed and is implementing a comprehensive methodology for conducting election observation. This methodology is based on a long-term approach that involves assessing all key elements of an electoral process, and has permitted ODIHR to follow election processes in participating States, and to provide meaningful recommendations for their improvement. ODIHR’s election observation methodology is based on the understanding that elections consist not only of the election day itself, but that a comprehensive, in-depth assessment must include the whole electoral process before, during and after election day. This involves the assessment of all elements and phases of the electoral process: the legal framework; the work of the election administration; the conduct of the election campaign; contestants’ access to the media and media coverage of the electoral process; election-day procedures, including the counting and tabulation of results; and the handling of election-related complaints. ODIHR’s election observation activities have covered 55 of the 57 OSCE participating states. This leaves only two participating States where no election-related activity has taken place so far: the Holy See and Mongolia; the latter joined the OSCE family at the end of 2012. In the past year, the Office continued its efforts to assist participating States in the implementation of election-related recommendations. Such activities included reviews of election legislation to bring it in line with OSCE commitments, as well as technical assessments on the use of new voting technologies (NVT) in the election process. Such follow-up activities were closely co-ordinated within ODIHR and with OSCE field operations in order to ensure the most efficient provision of support to participating States in meeting their commitments. Main Issues Democratic standards The foundation for ODIHR’s work on assessing electoral processes was provided in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document. Since these commitments were agreed upon by the participating States, progress has been made in the conduct of elections. Nevertheless, serious challenges remain or have, in some cases, resurfaced. Improvements include the administration of elections, as well as their organizational and legal frameworks. While these advances are welcome, it is the actual implementation that makes the difference. ODIHR has identified and reported on serious shortcomings in a number of OSCE participating States that directly contradict the principles of the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document. 8 ODIHR Annual Report 2012