552 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "The timely announcement of election results enhances the transparency of the electoral process. The promptness or otherwise with which the results of an election are made known may depend on the electoral system that is in place. The first-past-the-post system has the ability to produce early results, particularly when the counting of the ballots is done at the polling stations."
- "Results from the results centres should be announced publicly."
- "An official copy of the results should be posted at the polling station (e.g., pinned to the door) as soon as the counting is completed, to provide an opportunity for results to be publicly inspected."
- "In particular, the EMB should ensure that: results are published in full, including a breakdown of results by individual polling station/counting centre, as well as regional constituencies, to allow for crosschecking of results."
- "In particular, the EMB should ensure that: detailed results are published at every stage of the aggregation and tabulation process as soon as they are available, indicating how many votes have been won by each candidate or political party and the number of invalid votes."
- "The legal framework should ensure, among other things, that: ...Tally sheets at intermediate and final counting centers record disaggregated votes, as well as aggregated results tabulations, are easily verified, publicly posted and provided to representatives of political parties, candidates, groups supporting or opposing referenda or other ballot initiatives, domestic nonpartisan election monitors, news media and international election observers."
- "The publication of results should include detailed breakdowns nationally, regionally (if applicable), and by polling stations (if votes are counted in this manner) or other voting sites or methods, except in highly exceptional circumstances where identifying the geographical distribution of the results of voting could lead to discrimination, retributions, or other severe adverse action against a local or regional population, and such circumstances should be explained and be subject to judicial review."
- "...[O]bservers and the media should all have the right to receive copies of the official results of each polling station ('protocols') which should also be made available to the general public by posting in a public place."
- "The legal framework should clearly specify that observers can make copies, or shall be given copies, of all protocols, tabulation and tally sheets."
- "107. The audit system shall provide the ability to cross-check and verify the correct operation of the e-voting system and the accuracy of the result, to detect fraud and to prove that all counted votes are authentic and that all votes have been counted. 108. The audit system shall provide the ability to verify that an e-election or e-referendum has complied with the applicable legal provisions, the aim being to verify that the results are an accurate representation of the authentic votes."
- "The audit system shall be designed and implemented as part of the e-voting system. Audit facilities shall be present on different levels of the system: logical, technical and application."
- "40. The electoral law should lay down the grounds upon which complaints and appeals are admissible. Any complainant should be duly notified in writing of the decision as to whether his/her petition was considered admissible or not, with reasons given. 41. Grounds for appeal should be strictly defined in the law, preferably for each phase involving an election dispute mechanism, so that courts and electoral bodies are not burdened with irrelevant or frivolous challenges. 42. The parties authorized to bring election-related complaints or appeals before a court or an electoral body should be strictly identified by the electoral law. 43. Time-limits and procedures governing the admissibility of complaints and appeals should be designed so as to preserve the right of aggrieved parties to seek redress."
- "Declare that in the field of information and mass media they seek to achieve the following objectives: absence of censorship or any arbitrary controls or constraints on participants in the information process, on media content or on the transmission and dissemination of information."
- "Free political broadcasts should be aired during peak time viewing and listening, when audiences are highest."
- "Ensure that the Media is given access to information in cases of corruption and related offences on condition that the dissemination of such information does not adversely affect the investigation process and the right to a fair trial."
- "The media has a “corrective” function by bringing to the public’s attention corruption and inequitable practises. The absence of free media can lead to economic stagnation and improper practises by both governments and businesses."
- "Each State Party shall consider incorporating into its domestic legal system appropriate measures to provide protection against any unjustified treatment for any person who reports in good faith and on reasonable grounds to the competent authorities any facts concerning offences established in accordance with this Convention."
- "Journalistic activities must be guided by ethical conduct, which should in no case be imposed by the State."
- "Every social communicator has the right to keep his/her sources of information, notes, personal and professional archives confidential."
- "Alerts member states to the risk of the power of the media in a situation of strong concentration of the media and new communication services, and its potential consequences for political pluralism and for democratic process and, in this context: 1. Underlines the desirability for effective and manifest separation between the exercise of control of media and decision making as regards media content and the exercise of political authority or influence."
- "State Parties shall take necessary measures to ensure the freedom and independence of the media."
- "Media practitioners shall not be required to reveal confidential sources of information or to disclose other material held for journalistic purposes except in accordance with the following principles: the identity of the source is necessary for the investigation or prosecution of a serious crime, or the defence of a person accused of a criminal offence; the information or similar information leading to the same result cannot be obtained elsewhere; the public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to freedom of expression; and disclosure has been ordered by a court, after a full hearing."
- "The following enables journalism to contribute to the maintenance and development of genuine democracy: d) the protection of the confidentiality of the sources used by journalists."
- "The practice of journalism in a genuine democracy has a number of implications. These implications, which are already reflected in many professional codes of conduct, include: e) observing professional secrecy with regard to the sources of information."
- "Domestic law and practice in member States should provide for explicit and clear protection of the right of journalists not to disclose information identifying a source in accordance with Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms...The right of journalists not to disclose information identifying a source must not be subject to other restrictions than those mentioned in Article 10, paragraph 2 of the Convention."
- "The disclosure of information identifying a source should not be deemed necessary unless in can be convincingly established that: i. reasonable alternative measures to disclosure do not exist or have been exhausted by the persons or public authorities that seek the disclosure, and ii. the legitimate interest in that disclosure clearly outweighs the public interest in the non-disclosure, bearing in mind that: an overriding requirement of the need for disclosure is proved, the circumstances are of a sufficiently vital and serious nature, the necessity of the disclosure is identified as responding to a pressing social need, and member states enjoy a certain margin of appreciation in assessing this need, but this margin does hand in hand with the supervision by the European Court of Human Rights."
- "Public authorities should refrain from interfering in the activities of journalists and other media personnel with a view to influencing the elections."
- "The international obligations presuppose freedom of expression including access for the media to information and freedom to independently report on matters of public interest."
- "Journalists have an important role to play in providing independent coverage of public assemblies. As such, they must be distinguished from participants in the event, and be given as much access as is possible by the authorities."
- "Special restrictions on commenting on courts and judges cannot be justified; the judiciary play a key public role and, as such, must be subject to open public scrutiny...Courts and judicial processes, like other public functions, are subject to the principles of maximum disclosure of information which may be overcome only where necessary to protect the right to a fair trial or the presumption of innocence."
- "The Parties [States], in the spirit of co-operation and mutual assistance which underlies this Convention, shall endeavour to avoid that programme services transmitted or retransmitted by a broadcaster or any other legal or natural person within their jurisdiction, within the meaning of Article 3 [defining jurisdiction], endanger media pluralism."
- "The freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected."
- "Monopolies or oligopolies…conspire against democracy by limiting the plurality and diversity which ensure the full exercise of people's right to information."
- "States should adopt effective measures to avoid undue concentration of media ownership, although such measures shall not be so stringent that they inhibit the development of the media sector as a whole."
- "Freedom of expression imposes an obligation on the authorities to take positive measure to promote diversity, which include among other things: Availability and promotion of a range of information and ideas to the public; pluralistic access to the media and other means of communication, including by vulnerable or marginalised groups, such as women children and refugees, as well as linguistic and cultural groups."
- "Declare that in the field of information and mass media they seek to achieve the following objectives: d. the existence of a wide variety of independent and autonomous media, permitting the reflection of diversity of ideas and opinions."
- "Member States agree to create political and economic environment conducive to the growth of pluralistic media."
- "An independent and diverse media sector is the best way to ensure that a wide range of opinion and viewpoints are expressed and communicated to the public."
- "The media therefore have a great deal of responsibility placed on them during election periods, and it is essential that the mass media of radio, television and newspapers provide a sufficient level of coverage of the elections that is fair, balanced and impartial, so that the public are informed of the whole spectrum of political opinions and ideas."
- "Sufficient 'space' should be allocated to broadcasting uses on different communications platforms to ensure that, as a whole, the public is able to receive a range of diverse broadcasting services…Different types of broadcasters--commercial, public service and community--should be able to operate on, and have equitable access to, all available distribution platforms."
- "In recognition of the particular importance of media diversity to democracy, special measures, including anti-monopoly rules, should be put in place to prevent undue concentration of media or cross-media ownership, both horizontal and vertical."
- "Effective measures should be adopted to prevent undue concentration of media ownership."
- "An independent and pluralistic media is essential to a free and open society and accountable government."
- "Calls upon all States: (h) To promote a pluralistic approach to information and multiple points of views through encouraging a diversity of ownership of media and of sources of information, including mass media, through inter alia, transparent licensing systems and effective regulations on undue concentration of ownership of the media in the private sector."
- "During electoral campaigns, regulatory frameworks should encourage and facilitate the pluralistic expression of opinions via the broadcast media."
- "A monopoly or excessive concentration of ownership of media, in the hands of a few is to be avoided in the interest of developing a plurality of viewpoints and voices; State-owned media have a responsibility to report on all aspects of national life and to provide access to a diversity of viewpoints."
- "Access by the public to information should be guaranteed by the diversity of the sources and means of information available to it, thus enabling each individual to check the accuracy of facts and to appraise events objectively. To this end, journalists must have freedom to report and the fullest possible facilities of access to information."
- "Transparency should be a hallmark of public policy efforts in the area of broadcasting. This should apply to regulation, ownership, public subsidy schemes and other policy initiatives."
- "Encouragement should be given by public authorities or, as appropriate, by those engaged in the practice of journalism, to: d) transparency in regard to: the ownership structures of the various media enterprises and the relationships with third parties who have influence on the editorial independence of media."
- "Members of the public should have access on an equitable and impartial basis to certain basic information on the media so as to enable them to form an opinion on the value to be given to information, ideas, and opinions disseminated by the media."