Guide to Electoral Dispute Resolution January 2010 The Carter Center One Copenhill 453 Freedom Parkway Atlanta, GA 30307 www.cartercenter.org Contents Summary ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Carter Center Work in Democracy and Elections....................................................................................... 5 Carter Center Work in Conflict Resolution ................................................................................................... 7 SECTION 1: ELECTORAL RIGHTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS Universal Declaration of Human Rights.......................................................................................................................10 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights..............................................................................................10 Protection of Civil and Political Rights ........................................................................................................10 Complaints and Appeals ....................................................................................................................................11 Global Framework for Electoral Rights Protection ................................................................................12 Regional Frameworks for Electoral Rights Protection ..........................................................................................20 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe..........................................................................21 Council of Europe .................................................................................................................................................22 Organization of American States....................................................................................................................25 Africa..........................................................................................................................................................................28 SECTION 2: ELECTORAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION: ISSUES, STANDARDS, AND BEST PRACTICES Principles ..................................................................................................................................................................................32 Practices ....................................................................................................................................................................................33 Right to Petition for Redress.............................................................................................................................................37 Aspects of the Pre‐election and Electoral Period.....................................................................................................39 Political and Human Rights Environment..................................................................................................39 Legislative Framework for Elections............................................................................................................41 Voter Registration ................................................................................................................................................43 Election Administration.....................................................................................................................................45 Electoral Boundary Delimitation ...................................................................................................................46 Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns .............................................................................................................47 Voter Education and Training of Election Officials.................................................................................57 Observers.................................................................................................................................................................59 Media .........................................................................................................................................................................59 Voting and Counting............................................................................................................................................60 Tabulation................................................................................................................................................................62 Results.......................................................................................................................................................................64 Special Dispute Resolution ...............................................................................................................................66 SECTION 3: MANUAL FOR PRACTITIONERS Complaint/Appeal Process................................................................................................................................................70 Aspects of the Pre‐Election and Election Period ......................................................................................................74 Legislative Framework for Elections.............................................................................................................................75 Voter Registration.................................................................................................................................................................76 The Carter Center Guide to Electoral Dispute Resolution 2 Election Administration......................................................................................................................................................77 Election Boundary Delimitation......................................................................................................................................78 Parties, Candidates, and Campaigning..........................................................................................................................80 The Campaign .........................................................................................................................................................................81 Campaign Dispute Resolution .........................................................................................................................81 Common Campaign Violations........................................................................................................................82 Campaign Finance Regulation.........................................................................................................................85 Voter Education and Training of Election Officials .................................................................................................85 Observers..................................................................................................................................................................................86 Media ........................................................................................................................................................................................87 Voting and Counting.............................................................................................................................................................88 Tabulation.................................................................................................................................................................................90 Results........................................................................................................................................................................................92 Special Dispute Resolution................................................................................................................................................93 Appendix A: References .....................................................................................................................................95 Appendix B: Excerpts from Treaties and Other Legal Texts...............................................................99 Appendix C: Excerpts from International Declarations, Resolutions, and Interpretations 105 Appendix D: Guidelines...................................................................................................................................126 The Carter Center Guide to Electoral Dispute Resolution 3 Summary Electoral rights are based on fundamental human rights, namely the civil and political freedoms of opinion, expression, association, and peaceful assembly that are solidly established on a global and regional basis under numerous international conventions. The right to enjoy free and fair elections also derives from the right to participate in governance, both directly and through representatives, which is also established through these instruments. Finally, the treaties also require protection of electoral as well as other human rights through an effective system of appeal. The importance of electoral dispute resolution is often underappreciated, since the electoral complaint and appeal process is governed by technical, legal rules. The applicable rules are specific to each state, and there are no agreed