One of the central ways the OAS has strengthened and promoted democracy has been through its electoral observation missions. The OAS first sent an observation mission to a member country in 1962, and continued to send small missions at the request of countries holding elections. In 1990 the OAS stepped up its support to the member states to strengthen their democratic institutions and procedures. Since then, it has observed more than 70 elections in South and Central America and the Caribbean. 

Under the terms of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the OAS member states are responsible for holding free and fair elections, and they may seek advisory services or assistance from the OAS to strengthen their electoral institutions and processes. The OAS must ensure that its electoral observation missions are effective and independent, and must provide necessary resources for that purpose, according to the Charter. It asserts that the missions “shall be conducted in an objective, impartial, and transparent manner and with the appropriate technical expertise.” 

Most recently, the OAS observed elections in Suriname, where voters went to the polls on May 25 to elect members of the National Assembly, as well as local councils. The National Assembly failed to elect the country’s president and vice president in July, when none of the candidates secured the two-thirds majority required to win. As a result, the United People’s Assembly, made up of all elected officials in the country, convened on August 3, and President Ronald Venetiaan was re-elected. The OAS mission, led by Ambassador Corinne McKnight, of Trinidad and Tobago, monitored all stages of the process.  

In February of this year, the OAS expanded its traditional observation role by accepting an invitation from Honduras to observe internal primaries within the two main political parties. The OAS team met with party leaders, electoral officials and civil society representatives, among others, and some 70 observers monitored the voting on election day. The Liberal and National party primaries represented “an effective exercise in democratization efforts within political parties,” concluded Moisés Benamor, who headed the mission. 

In response to an invitation by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, the OAS is expected to observe parliamentary elections scheduled for December 4. The OAS sent a technical mission to be present during the country’s August 7 municipal elections and to begin preparations for a possible observation process in December.  

The OAS has a different role in the electoral process in Haiti. For the past several months, it has supported a massive voter registration drive being conducted by the country’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in preparation for local, legislative and presidential elections now scheduled for December. In a report to the OAS Permanent Council in late October, Secretary General José Miguel Insulza expressed concern over certain logistical and administrative aspects related to Haiti’s elections, but said the registration effort had been a “great success,” with some 3.4 million elegible voters enrolled. The OAS Electoral Technical Assistance Program is part of a collaborative effort with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). 

During the last decade the OAS has observed elections in more than half of its member states, at their invitation. The specific objectives have varied, depending on each country’s circumstances. Some missions consist of a few technical experts staying for a limited time during the election itself; others may assemble a large team which can fan out across the country and observe the full electoral process for an extended period. In the days or weeks leading up to the election, observers meet with leaders of political parties, candidates, government officials and ordinary citizens to assess the process. They observe the voting on election day and follow the ballot count, tabulation and post-election phase. By observing an electoral process before, during and after the voting—including aspects such as election administration, the political campaign and freedom of speech—electoral observation missions become partners in strengthening democracy and improving the transparency of political systems.
 

OAS ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS (by country): 

Argentina—2003 (presidential elections)

Belize—1997 (observation of voter re-registration)

Bolivia—2004 (municipal elections); 2004 (referendum on natural gas); 2002 (presidential elections); 1997 (presidential, legislative)

Colombia—2002 (presidential elections); 1997 (local, legislative); 1994 (second round presidential)
Costa Rica—2002 (presidential elections); 1990 (general)

Dominican Republic—2004 (presidential elections); 2002 (legislative); 2000 (presidential); 1998 (congressional, municipal); 1996 (second round, national); 1994 (national, provincial and municipal); 1990 (general)

Ecuador—2004 (general and municipal elections); 2002 (presidential); 1998 (general and second round, presidential); 1996 (general and second round)

El Salvador—2004 (presidential elections); 1997 (legislative, municipal); 1991 (municipal)

Grenada—2003 (general elections); 1999 (general elections)

Guatemala—2003 (first and second rounds, presidential elections); 1999 (referendum, general elections, first and second rounds); 1995 (general, second round presidential 1/7/96)

Guyana—2001 (general elections); 1997 (national, regional)

Haiti—2000 (parliamentary, municipal, local elections); 1997 (legislative, municipal); 1996 (parliamentary, municipal); 1995 (legislative, municipal, presidential); 1991 (presidential)

Honduras—2005 (political party primary elections); 2001 (presidential elections); 1997 (general); 1993 (general presidential, congressional); 1989 (general)

Nicaragua—2004 (municipal); 2002 (Atlantic coast regional elections); 2001 (presidential); 2000 (municipal); 1998 (regional, Atlantic coast); 1996 (general); 1994 (regional, Atlantic coast); 1990 (presidential, legislative, municipal)

Panama—2004 (presidential elections); 1999 (general); 1998 (referendum); 1994 (presidential)

Paraguay—2003 (presidential elections); 2000 (vice-presidential); 1998 (general); 1993 (presidential); 1992 (pre-election observation mission); 1991 (municipal; constituent convention elections)

Peru—2002 (regional, municipal elections); 2001 (presidential, first and second rounds); 2000 (presidential); 1998 (municipal); 1995 (general); 1993 (municipal, constitutional referendum); 1992 (constituent congressional)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines—2001 (parliamentary elections)

Suriname—2005 (general elections); 2000 (general); 1996 (general); 1991 (general)

Venezuela—2004 (presidential recall referendum); 2000 (general elections); 1999 (constituent assembly, general and constitutional referendum); 1998 (legislative, presidential); 1993 (presidential, congressional, state); 1992 (municipal, gubernatorial).

 Last updated: October 2005