Day by Day

It has been customary to hold General Elections in the UK on Thursdays since the 1930s. The tradition originated because Thursday was often Market day and voters would be in town. Now, as a result of the ill-advised Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011, they are held every five years on the first Thursday in May. Elsewhere in Europe elections are generally held on Sundays.

This has lots of advantages. Many people have the day off and schools can be using as polling stations to name two. Typically an STO is away for a week. The first day is spent travelling to the capital of the host country. The following day all the STOs, sometimes as many as 400 if it is a large country, are briefed in the capital – usually in the conference room of a big hotel.

The bible of an election observer is the Observer Code of Conduct. This sets out a standard set of rules and values to which observers must adhere. While some things are common sense it helps to have explicit guidelines. For example how an observer should respond if contacted by the media. The briefing takes this a stage further explaining  exactly how elections are held in the host country. Every country has its own rules and ways of doing things. The mechanics of recording observations and the transmission of same up the chain is also explained.

Key principles for observers: Impartiality, Transparency, Non-interference, Comprehensive Methodology, Mission procedures and Respect for the host country.

At this stage STOs are put in pairs. The partners are invariably drawn from different member states and are often of the opposite sex. It is of course important to establish a good working relationship with your partner.

The next day STOs deploy to their Areas of Observation (AoO). This might be a bus, train or ‘plane journey, or they might be deployed within the capital city. Wherever it is they are greeted by an LTO who will have arranged accommodation and will describe the area. At this point the STO partnership will meet their driver and language adviser, as apparently interpreters are now known. It is important to forge a good relationship with them as you will be working long hours as a team over the next two or three days. English is always spoken, even if an STO happens to speak the host country’s language.

To be continued.