WASHINGTON, DC – In recent federal election cycles, election officials in the United States have welcomed international observers from organizations to which the U.S. government has extended an official invitation.  One such group is the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has been sending delegations to observe U.S. elections since 2002.

In 2010, the members of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) passed a resolution encouraging federal, state and local election officials, where allowed by state law, to facilitate opportunities for OSCE and other officially-sanctioned international observers to witness U.S. election systems first-hand.  The resolution also encouraged better coordination of international election observation visits with state and local election offices.  NASS developed a protocol to help improve this process.

Although our protocol does not specifically call for it, NASS has recently worked with the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to promote an understanding of the state laws and policies that guide election observation by international representatives.  Our system is very decentralized, and in many states, there are specific laws or prohibitions that apply to the presence of election observers in a polling place on Election Day.

OSCE/ODIHR mission representatives have assured NASS that recent meetings with human and civil rights organizations requesting targeted monitoring activities by their group have not changed the original purpose or scope of their mission, which is limited to observation activities.  As OSCE has publicly noted, "the mission will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting or tabulation" on Election Day.  It is without question that they must adhere to all federal, state and local laws in the U.S. that govern the conduct of elections.

Voters may remain confident that election officials throughout the U.S. are deeply committed to delivering honest, fair and accurate elections on November 6, 2012.  International observation missions can play a valuable role in the process by providing the states with an opportunity to share effective programs and practices with other election officials from around the world, and engage in informational exchanges that are of great benefit to officials and observers alike.  The public can be assured that the job of protecting the right to vote for all Americans rests with our own government and its authorities.

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