24 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL assessments, and their recommendations can point toward meaningful reforms to be enacted when the political climate is conducive. What Are Modern Election Observers? International observers have no mandate to intervene or alter election procedures or results. Their principal role is to assess and produce recommendations, thus contributing to transparency and helping domestic actors to make improvements for future elections. Any “power” they have is largely the soft power to make their findings available to all who may find them useful. This includes media; partner organizations like the European Union (EU), which uses election reports to help evaluate progress toward membership; parliaments or governments considering election-related reforms; as well as civil society and ordinary voters. In addition, the mere presence of election observers can deter fraud or other abusive practices. Though this “deterrent First, international observation should only be seen as a complement to effective domestic observation. Those who care deeply about the integrity of elections may wish to volunteer at home, to work at a local polling station or as a nonpartisan observer in your community. (Such experience will also serve you well in any future international observation.) Second, while opportunities are extremely limited, organizations such as ODIHR and the Carter Center conduct open recruitment campaigns on their websites for their core teams of election experts. Only those with significant experience are advised to apply. Other credible organizations deploying substantial election missions, with diverse recruitment procedures and citizenship or language requirements, include the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, the Organization of American States, the European Union, the African Union, and the Asian Network for Free Elections. Finally, most promising for private U.S. citizens with diplomatic or development backgrounds, the U.S. has continued (at least until late 2026) to “second” a substantial number of short- and long-term observers to almost all large OSCE ODIHR election observation missions. The work is voluntary, but expenses are paid and the process is managed through a State Department contractor. Information and an application are available at www.amentum.com/speo/. Interested in Becoming an Election Observer? Because elections involve much more than election day, serious international election observation involves a longer-term effort to analyze the entire process. effect” can be substantial, governments do not always behave better when international observers are on the scene. Finally, an important myth to be busted is that international observers can give a definitive verdict on whether an election was “free and fair” or whether its results produce governance that is “legitimate.” Responsible international missions issue reports that allow readers to draw their own conclusions, but they generally avoid making binary judgments. While some elections are clearly much better than others, none are perfect. On the practical question of what observers do, the modern observer simply tries to collect as much information as possible about a particular election, just as we did in 1989 Leningrad. Specific activities in a typical election observation mission (EOM) depend on one’s role: a short-term observer (STO) will mainly visit polling stations on election day to assess how well the voting and counting processes comport with domestic laws and international standards. But because elections involve much more than election day, serious international election observation, whether by an embassy or an EOM, involves a longer-term effort to analyze the entire process. The OSCE ODIHR model, largely adopted by organizations like the EU and the Carter Center, often involves a core team of experts and long-term observers (LTOs) on the ground for six to eight weeks. LTOs play various roles, from reporting and representing the mission to supporting and briefing the STOs who visit their regions. National staff, much like locally employed staff in U.S. embassies and consulates, provide critical support while bearing no responsibility for conclusions reached by the international team.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=