UNDP does not observe elections; instead, it concentrates on providing electoral assistance, often as a strategic entry point for broader democratic governance programmes. Such assistance stresses the transfer of professional skills and operational knowledge and on long-term capacity and institutional strengthening of the different stakeholders of an electoral process.

Ultimately, UNDP assistance aims to ensure that elections are fully owned nationally, that there is awareness of elections being part of a broader democratic governance framework, and that elections provide a vital means to safeguard human rights, exercise choice and express opinions. To advance these goals, UNDP helps countries acquire the necessary skills to organize elections that are both credible and enjoy the confidence of electoral stakeholders. This assistance can take myriad forms — helping electoral management bodies (EMBs) prepare to conduct a specific electoral event, supporting civic and voter education programmes, building the long-term capacity of institutions as diverse as the media or police forces, and providing capacity development support to political parties. A good deal of technical assistance is also increasingly targeted at EMBs in the periods between electoral events (or ‘inter-election periods’), when the bodies can engage in a number of activities without the political and operational pressure of delivering an electoral event. These activities may include developing multi-year strategic plans; consolidating human resources and financial strategies; and fulfilling election-related functions such as boundary delimitation, testing of technological innovations, procurement of electoral material, public outreach and voter registration.

The UN does not observe elections unless specifically mandated by the General Assembly or Security Council. It also does not generally observe elections to which it has also provided technical assistance because to do so would constitute a conflict of interest. It may, however, choose to appoint an independent Electoral Certification Team or Electoral Expert Monitoring Team, as has been done recently in Nepal and Timor-Leste. In cases where the UN is requested to observe, monitor or certify elections, EAD/DPA would respond to the request and lead any ensuing effort. However, UNDP does at times help to coordinate and provide logistical support (normally through the establishment of a secretariat) to other international election observers (e.g., observers sponsored by Member States, resident staff of the diplomatic missions present in the country, intergovernmental and NGOs) that together may comprise a Joint International Observer Group (JIOG). Requests for coordination of international observers do not normally require a separate technical and political assessment process, particularly if one has already been completed to help prepare for UNDP technical assistance. However, Country Offices should notify EAD/DPA of the request and proposed UNDP action.

For example, prior to the 2004 elections in Indonesia, UNDP, in cooperation with the Asia Foundation, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and IFES, established an International Observers Resource Centre. That centre facilitated the work of an average of 560 international monitors fielded by different embassies and international organizations for each of the three elections. Support included boosting coordination between national and international monitors and providing briefings and information.

In other places, UNDP has done this type of work in different ways, such as limited training and sensitization of observers drawn from the diplomatic corps (e.g., for the 2007 commune council elections in Cambodia) or technical support for the coordination of the different electoral observation missions — for example, in 2006 Ecuador, where UNDP performed this function for the Organization of American States (OAS), Participación Ciudadana and the Q’ellkaj Foundation. During the DRC electoral process in 2006, UNDP provided a financial pass-through mechanism for an elections observers’ project implemented by UNOPS and directly overseen by the national elections steering committee.

At the request of the European Commission, UNDP also provides support to the implementation of some EU Election Observation Missions (EUEOMs). Such support is different in type and scope, however.