Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation

1. DECO Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation

2. DECO/OAS DECO is one of three departments of the Secretariat for Political Affairs

3. DECO/OAS DECO/OAS organizes Electoral Observation Missions and technical cooperation projects for OAS member States

4. The principles that guide us… “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.” “To promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention” Charter of the OAS, Art 2, Inc. b Inter-American Democratic Charter, Art. 1

5. DECO Today 2007 2014 DECO 2005 SPA Key milestones EOM Nicaragua (UPD is Created) 1990 First time that the OAS observed elections 1962

6. DECO Today

7. 1962 Since the OAS has accompanied 200+ Dominican Republic Bahamas Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Haiti Mexico Antigua and Barbuda Dominica Belize Guatemala Saint Lucia elections in 30 El Salvador Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Honduras Nicaragua Grenada Costa Rica countries Panama Venezuela Colombia Guyana Ecuador Suriname Peru Bolivia Brazil Paraguay Argentina Uruguay Chile

8. Technical Cooperation Methodologies DECO´S cycle EOMs Recommendations

9. Methodologies DECO´S cycle EOMs

10. What do we observe ?

11. Political Integration • Gender equality • Ethnic minorities • Voting from abroad • Persons with disabilities

12. The Electoral Process • Equal access to media • Electoral organization and technology • Electoral Justice

13. Electoral Integrity • Political-Electoral Financing • Electoral Violence & Security • Government Intervention

15. Methodologies DECO´S cycle EOMs Recommendations

16. Systematization of Recommendations Viable Recurrent High regional impact Technical Cooperation Projects

17. Recommendations made by OAS/EOMs 56% Electoral organization Financing Gender equality Political and legal system Media Technology 17% Electoral malpractice 10% 7% 5% 4% 1%

18. Recommendations within the category of electoral organization 18% 32% 21% Electoral registry and voting lists 29% Voting Process Electoral Administration Vote counting and transmission of results

19. New ISO Electoral Standard 17582 Encompasses 8 key processes: • Voter registration • Registraton of political organizations and candidates • Electoral logistics • Vote casting • Vote counting and declaration of the results • Electoral education • Oversight of political campaign financing • Dispute resolution

20. Technical Cooperation Methodologies DECO´S cycle EOMs Recommendations

21. Since 2007 we have implemented 30 technical cooperation projects in 14 countries of theregion

22. Technical Cooperation - Projects include… • Audit of Electoral Registries • Quality Management and Certification in Electoral Processes • Audit of Electronic Voting • Systematization of Judicial Decisions on Electoral matters • Strengthening the Electoral Process and Registration Systems • Electoral Technology: Analysis of Systems and Processes

23. DECO´S Impact

25. 2014 Elections

26. Electoral Calendar 2015

27. Contact Gerardo de Icaza DECO Director Tel: 1 202 370 4526 Email: gdeicaza@oas.org / deco@oas.org