ELECTORAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES
MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK BETTER
 
 

The Quebec Plan of Action and the Electoral Processes and Procedures

 



Quebec City, Canada, 2001
Third Summit of the Americas


 

  .

Electoral Processes and Procedures
Making Democracy Work Better
 

 


Recognizing the relationship among democracy, sustainable development, the separation of powers, as well as effective and efficient government institutions, and, noting that the transparency and accountability of electoral systems and the independence of bodies responsible for the conduct and verification of free, fair and regular elections are essential elements in ensuring support for and involvement in national democratic institutions:

  • Share best practices and technologies with respect to increasing citizen participation in electoral processes, including voter education, the modernization and simplification of voter registration and the voting and counting process, while taking into account the need to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and promoting the full participation and integration of all persons eligible to exercise the right to vote, without discrimination;

  • Continue to enhance electoral mechanisms, using information and communications technologies where possible, to effectively guarantee the impartiality, promptness and independent action of agencies, tribunals or other bodies responsible for the conduct, supervision and verification of elections at national and sub-national levels, and strengthen and facilitate, with the support of the Organization of American States (OAS) and other regional and international organizations, hemispheric cooperation and exchange of legislative and technological experiences in these areas, and the deployment of election observers when so requested;

  • Convene under the auspices of the OAS, and with the collaboration of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), meetings of experts to examine in more depth issues such as: political party registration, access of political parties to funding and to the media, campaign financing, oversight and dissemination of election results and relations of political parties with other sectors of society;


Quebec Plan of Action (complete version):  English | Spanish | French | Portuguese

Archive of Events that have taken place in the area of Electoral Processes and Procedures

 

       
  .

Electoral Observation Missions
2002, 2003, 2004
 

 


In 2002 the UPD continued to strengthen its electoral mission to respond to the Summits mandates.  The UPD sent electoral observation missions to the presidential elections in Colombia (May 26th), Bolivia (June 30th), and Ecuador (October 20th).  In addition, electoral missions were also sent to observe the regional elections in Peru (November 17th), Nicaragua (February 2nd), and the Dominican Republic (May 16th). 

Similarly, 2003 was a busy electoral year.  The OAS was at the forefront of electoral observation missions in the presidential elections of Argentina (May 27th), Paraguay (May 27th) and Guatemala (November and December), as well as the general elections in Grenada (November 27th). 

In 2004, this important work continued in the presidential elections in El Salvador (March 21st), the Dominican Republic (May 16th), and Panama (May 2nd).  Likewise, the UPD observed for the first time the electoral processes for referendums in Bolivia and Venezuela. 

The UPD sent an observation mission to Bolivia for the referendum on the export of natural gas proposed by the Government of Carlos Mesa, which took place on July 18th.  The UPD also participated in the process of compiling signatures (two phases: December 2003, and May 2004) to solicit a Recall Referendum against the president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez. 

Electoral observation missions have been essential for the role of the OAS in promoting and strengthening democracy in the Hemisphere.  The OAS has not only affirmed the transparency of presidential elections, but it has also promoted citizen participation in electoral processes such as the election of local authorities and popular consultations on issues of national interest.  In the last 15 years the OAS has carried out approximately 70 electoral observation missions in more than 20 member states with the participation of approximately 3500 observers. 

*For more information on the reports of these missions, please visit the web page of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy.


  .

Electoral Authorities Analyze Future Process Challenges
March 13, 2003 Panama
 

 


Some 80 electoral delegates from 20 member states of the OAS met on March 13, 2003 in Panama in order to analyze the future challenges in electoral technology. The meeting was organized by the Electoral Tribunal of Panama (TOE), with the support of the OAS Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD/OAS). Among the subjects discussed were the new challenges in electoral technology. In addition, the meeting addressed the experience of the automated voting in Brazil and horizontal cooperation carried out through the OAS, in order to implement such technology in Paraguay.


  .

The Second Inter-American Forum on Political Parties
December 4-6, 2002 (Vancouver, Canada)
 

 


On December 4-6, 2002, the Second Inter-American Forum on Political Parties took place in Vancouver, Canada. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the various aspects of political party financing, management and reform within the hemisphere, as well as exchange experiences and best practices in this regard. This meeting was attended by over 100 representatives from 23 countries, including leaders of political parties, political institutions, leaders of organized civil society, and academics. 

The discussion centered around three fundamental themes: the financing of electoral and political party campaigns, the analysis of the national studies on the party modernization (Canada, Guatemala, Colombia, and Mexico), and the participation of the women in politics. The forum was also the proper stage to promote the work of institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), The Carter Center, International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Dutch Institute of Multi-party Democracy, the Inter-American Network for Democracy, and the International Institute for Governance of Cataluña, among others. Also, the multi-sector character of the forum was consolidated by permitting the different institutions to present their initiatives and contribute through their experience to the solution of problems that the political parties suffer in our region.


.

Working Session with Political Party Internationals, Foundations and Institutes
August 26-27, 2002 (Santiago, Chile)
 


On August 26-27, 2002, a working session was held with political party internationals, foundations and institutes in Santiago, Chile. The meeting took place in the framework of the Inter-American Forum on Political Parties of the OAS Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (OAS/UPD), in collaboration with the Government of Chile. The discussion was focused on strenthening political parties in the hemisphere and identifying means for cooperation among the participants in the Forum with the UPD/OAS in order to consolidate democracy and contribute to the resolution of several political crises in the hemisphere.

Forum participants concluded that it is necesary to strengthen the existing political party structure by adopting significant measures. The Forum analized the OAS areas of action and the potential contributions that the Organization could make with regards to political parties. It was concluded that the issue of political parties could be divided into external factors (electoral systems, party systems, party and campaign financing, among others), and internal factors (transparent management of political parties, participation of women and youth in politics, as well as matters which do not involve ideology or competence between political parties). The importance of periodic meetings was recognized in order to follow up and incorporate new strategies and objectives in favor of reform and modernization of political parties in the hemisphere.

For more information on this meeting, please click here.


  .

Electoral Observation Missions by the OAS (UPD)
2001, 2002
 

 


In the Quebec City Summit that took place in April 2001, the Heads of State and Government stated that they "will continue strengthening electoral mechanisms, using information and communication technologies, when possible, with the aim to effectively guarantee the impartiality, promptness and independence of institutions, tribunals and other entities responsible for the organization, supervision and verification of national and local elections, and will strengthen and facilitate, with the Organization of American States (OAS) and other regional and international organisms' help, the hemispheric cooperation and legislative and technological exchange of experience and the sending of electoral observers when solicited."

As a response to this mandate, the OAS Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) carried out several different electoral observation missions (EOM). The first one took place in Guyana on March 19, in its presidential and parliamentary elections. On the 28th of the same month, a mission for parliamentary elections took place in San Vincente y las Granadinas. On April 8th, in Peru, the second round of presidential was also observed, and finally, on November 4th , the last mission of 2001 took place in the presidential and parliamentary elections of Nicaragua.

In 2002 the UPD continues advancing in order to strengthen its objective and respond to Summit mandates. The UPD has undertaken observation missions for the presidential elections that took place on May 26, 2002, in Colombia, and on June 30, 2002 in Bolivia. For more information on the reports of these missions please visit the page of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy.


  .

Electoral Technical Assistance

 


In the area of electoral technical assistance, the UPD has given support in the modernization of information systems to keep accurate statistics, and monitoring elections in several countries. The nations that have received this technical assistance include Honduras, Nicaragua and Ecuador. In Honduras, for example, the telecommunications network was designed to link the country’s thirty largest civil registry offices, so as to facilitate access to information on registration, changes and certifications. This not only allows all offices to access all information, but it also prevents the chances of the same person being registered twice. For more information, please refer to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) website at www.upd.oas.org.


  .

Inter-American Forum on Political Parties Conference
December 13-14, 2001 (Miami)
 

 


The Inter-American Forum on Political Parties Conference took place in Miami on December 13-14, 2001, in compliance with a Quebec City Summit mandate. Discussions focused on strengthening the pillars of democracy and governance by way of building party plurality, increasing political participation, and improving the transparency and accountability of political parties. Key among discussion items was the need for modernization of the party system in the Hemisphere to adjust to an increasingly transnational process of policy development. For more information please click here.


  .

Cooperation project between two electoral institutions of the hemisphere
November 18, 2001 (Paraguay)
 

 


The Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) facilitated a horizontal cooperation project between the Superior Electoral Tribunal of Brazil and the Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (TSJE) of Paraguay.  The objective of this project is to share with the TSJE of Paraguay the experience and technology of Brazil in the use of voting machines.  This initiative will be developed through a pilot program in five municipalities in Paraguay during their elections on November 18, 2001.


.

Second General Assembly of the Association of Caribbean Electoral Organizations
July 30-31, 2001 (Kingston, Jamaica)


On July 30-31, 2001, the Association of Caribbean Electoral Organizations (ACEO) held its Second General Assembly in Kingston, Jamaica. Taking place after the Third Summit of the Americas and in response to the mandates that emanated from its Plan of Action, the ACEO General Assembly strengthened its commitment to increasing transparency and promoting citizen participation in Caribbean electoral systems. At the meeting, election officials and international experts participated in workshops that focussed on voter registration technology and the role of both civil society and political parties in the electoral process. This event was co-sponsored by the OAS Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD).


       
 
  [Quebec_Summit/Quebec-Democracy/Elect-Processes/tracker.htm]