Study on Performance Indicators for Electoral Assistance projects developed within the context of the EC-UNDP Partnership on Electoral Assistance

Support to elections includes electoral assistance programmes and European Union (EU) election observation missions. Although interrelated through their complementary activities, they are each independent. Electoral assistance is funded regionally while observation missions are implemented through centrally-managed funds from the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. Electoral assistance may be defined as the technical or material support given to the electoral process. It may imply legal support to establish a legal framework for the elections. It may also take the form of a general input to the national electoral body, such as providing voting material and equipment, or helping in the registration of political parties and candidates and the registration of voters. It may also imply support to NGOs and civil society in areas such as voter and civic education or training of domestic observers, as well as support to media monitoring and training of journalists. The EU is one of the leading actors in terms of electoral assistance worldwide. Between 2006 and 2011, the EU has provided support to electoral processes in over 40 countries, with a total budget of around EUR 400 million.