There is now broad international consensus that genuine democratic elections are essential for establishing the legitimate authority of governments. In addition, in recent years international election observer organizations have built consensus on the fundamental principles that should guide election observation. An important milestone was achieved at a meeting at the United Nations in New York in October 2005, when 22 inter-governmental and nongovernmental organizations endorsed the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and pledged to further the goals of harmonization and cooperation in the field of election observation. Since its initial commemoration, an additional 13 organizations have endorsed the Declaration.

Click here for more information on the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and full text of the Declaration in selected languages >>

Although the Declaration establishes general principles for professional observation, it does not attempt to define what is meant by "genuine democratic elections."  The international community does not have a single common set of internationally accepted standards for democratic elections or criteria for assessing elections. As a result, there is an urgent need for election observation organizations to work together to build consensus on detailed criteria for assessing elections.

In 2005, The Carter Center launched a multi-year collaborative project aimed at developing and building consensus around a single set of criteria for assessing democratic elections. The initiative recognizes that election observation should be understood in the context of, and closely linked to, broader efforts to promote democracy, with elections as unique opportunities to assess how well a country's political institutions serve its citizens.   

Project goals have included shaping development criteria for assessing elections based on obligations in public international law.

Click here for more information on to how The Carter Center developed their standards for assessment criteria >>

The Carter Center has worked collaboratively with partner organizations to create the Database of Obligations for Democratic Elections.  Launched by The Carter Center in August 2010, this database consolidates more than 150 sources of international law related to human rights and elections that can be used by international and domestic election observers to assess elections. The database represents a critical step in building consensus toward a single common set of internationally accepted criteria for assessing democratic elections.  For the first time, election observers have a single source to research a country's ratified or endorsed international and regional treaties and instruments to facilitate holding the country accountable to those standards when assessing an election's conduct.

Click here for more information on the Database of Obligations, including instructions on how to conduct searches >> 

The Center is working closely with a number of other organizations to develop this methodology and to promote broad international consensus about the key criteria for democratic elections through formal and informal dialogue processes.

In addition, the Center's Democracy Program is focused on new challenges facing election observation. These include developing observation techniques suited for automated and e-voting systems, promoting more sustained follow up on the major recommendations produced by election observation missions, and ensuring that international democracy assistance has a sustainable impact on democratization processes.

Click here for a link to more information for more information on the future of the Democratic Election Standards project >>

Click here for a link to more information on the Democratic Election Standards project work in automated and e-voting >>

Click here for more information about meetings and events held by the Center's Democratic Election Standards project >>