About
FAQ
Bibliography
Carter Center
Election Obligations & Standards Database
All
Criteria
Summaries
Quotes
Periodic Elections
×
Clear Search
Narrow By
Country
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ascension Island
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of the (Kinshasa)
Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville)
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Metropolitan
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard and Mc Donald Islands
Holy See
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea)
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)
Kuwait
Kyrgyz Republic
Lao, People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federal States of
Moldova, Republic of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Island
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion Island
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Pierre and Miquelon
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria, Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Viet Nam
Wallis and Futuna Islands
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Obligation
Genuine Elections That Reflect the Free Expression of the Will of the People
Right and Opportunity to Vote
Right and Opportunity to Be Elected
Right and Opportunity to Participate in Public Affairs
Freedom of Association
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Movement
Freedom of Opinion and Expression
Transparency and Access to Information
Right to Security of the Person
Freedom from Discrimination and Equality Before the Law
Equality Between Men and Women
Right to a Fair and Public Hearing
Right to an Effective Remedy
Universal Suffrage
Equal Suffrage
Secret Ballot
Periodic Elections
Prevention of Corruption
State Must Take Necessary Steps to Give Effect to Rights
Rule of Law
Source Type
State Practices
Political Commitments
Interpretation of Treaties
Treaties
Election Part
Legal Framework
Electoral System and Boundary Delimitation
Election Management
Voter Registration
Voter Education
Candidacy and Campaigning
The Media
Voting Operations
Vote Counting and Tabulation
Electoral Dispute Resolution
Authoring Body
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
United Nations
United Nations (Conference of the State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption)
United Nations (Committee on Civil and Political Rights)
United Nations (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women)
United Nations (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
United Nations (Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
United Nations (Center for Human Rights)
United Nations (Economic and Social Council)
United Nations (International Labor Organization)
United Nations (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
United Nations (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
United Nations (Security Council)
United Nations Women
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations (Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
United Nations (General Assembly)
United Nations (Office on Drugs and Crime)
ACE: The Electoral Knowledge Network
African Union
Article 19
Commonwealth of Independent States
Council of Europe
Council of Europe (Committee of Ministers)
Commonwealth
Commonwealth Secretariat
Economic Community of West African States
Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa and Electoral Commission Forum of SADC Countries
European Union
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
Inter-Parliamentary Union
International Human Rights Law Group
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
League of Arab States
National Democratic Institute
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Organization of American States
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Southern African Development Community
Southern Africa Development Community (Parliamentary Forum)
The Carter Center
Transparency International
United Nations (Human Rights Council)
African Union (African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights)
Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation
Council of Europe (Congress of Local and Regional Authorities)
Council of Europe (Directorate of Human Rights)
Council of Europe (European Court of Human Rights)
Council of Europe (Group of States against Corruption)
Council of Europe (Parliamentary Assembly)
Council of Europe (Venice Commission)
Democracy Reporting International
European Union (Council of the European Union)
European Union (European Commission)
European Union (European Parliament)
International Commission of Jurists
International Mechanisms for Promoting Freedom of Expression
African Union (New Partnership for Africa's Development)
Organization of American States (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
International Organisation of La Francophonie
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Document
ICESCR
ACDEG
ACHPR
ACHR
ASEAN Human Rights Declaration
Abil v. Azerbaijan
Accountability and Transparency in Political Finance: Why How and What For?
Action Plan on Human Rights and Election Standards
AfComHPR Principles and Guidelines
Ahmed and Others v. the United Kingdom
Alajos Kiss v. Hungary
Anchugov and Gladkov v. Russia
Arab Charter on Human Rights
Atakishi v. Azerbaijan
Aziz v. Cyprus
Bamako Declaration
Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
Belyazeka vs. Belarus
Budapest Document
Building Confidence
CAC/COSP, Fifth Session
CAC/COSP, Fourth Session
CAC/COSP, Third Session
CEDAW
CEDAW Cttee. General Recommendation 23
CESCR General Comment No. 16
CESCR General Comment No. 20
CPRW
CRPD
Castañeda Gutman v. México
Charter on Public Service and Administration
Chebotareva v. Russian Federation
CivSocSpace
Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters
Code of Good Practice in the Field of Political Parties
Code of Good Practice on Referendums
Code of Practice on Disinformation
Code: Election Administration
Codes of Conduct for Elections
Coleman v. Australia
Commonwealth Electoral Practice: A Working Document
Communication on Responsibility of Online Platforms
Communication on Tackling Online Disinformation
Communist Party of Russia and Others v. Russia
Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data
Convention on Corruption
Convention on Democratic Elections
Convention on Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
Convention on Human Rights
Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level
Convention on the Political Rights of Women
Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Copenhagen Document
Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents
Criminal Law Convention on Corruption
Declaration on Human Rights and Rule of Law in the Information Society
Declaration of Principles for Citizen Election Observation
Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation
Declaration on Algorithmic Processes
Declaration on Democracy Political Economic and Corporate Governance
Declaration on Free and Fair Elections
Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Information
Declaration on Freedom of Political Debate in the Media
Declaration on Fundamental Principles concerning the Contribution of the Mass Media
Declaration on Measures to Promote the Freedom of Expression and Information with Regard to Internet Filters
Declaration on Media Concentration
Declaration on Public Service Media Governance
Declaration on Sustainability of Journalism in Digital Age
Declaration on the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters
Declaration on the Functions of Regulatory Authorities
Declaration on the Guarantee of Independence of Public Service Broadcasting
Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa
Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Declaration on the Stability of the Electoral Law
Dimensions
Domestic Election Observers
Domestic Monitoring: A to Z
Doyle v. the United Kingdom
ECHR
EMBs as Institutions of Governance
EU Charter
Election Investigations Guidebook
Election Observation Handbook (Fifth Edition)
Election Observation Handbook (Sixth Edition)
Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook
Electoral Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Electoral Standards: Guidelines for Reviewing the Legal Framework of Elections
European Charter of Local Self-Government
European Convention on Transfrontier Television
European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers
Existing Commitments
Financing Political Parties and Election Campaigns
Financing of Political Parties
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Free and Fair
Freedom of Expression and Elections in the Digital Age
Frodl v. Austria
Fundamental Principles on the Status of NGOs
Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns
GDPR
Gahramanli and Others v. Azerbaijan
Gaulieder v. Slovakia
Gender-Targetted Public Funding of Political Parties
General Comment No. 1
General Comment No. 16
General Comment No. 2
General Comment No. 35
General Comment No. 37
General Comment No. 6
General Recommendation No. 25
General Recommendation No. 28
General Recommendation No. 30
Georgian Labour Party v. Georgia
Gillot et al. v. France
Gitonas and Others v. Greece
Greens and M.T. v. the United Kingdom
Grosaru v. Romania
Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation
Guide on Administrative Resources and Fair Elections
Guide on Gender Equality and Women's Participation
Guidelines Political Party Regulation (2nd ed)
Guidelines Preventing Misuse of Resources
Guidelines for Election Broadcasting in Transitional Democracies
Guidelines for International Election Observing
Guidelines for the Regulation of Computerized Personal Data Files
Guidelines on Abuse of State Resources
Guidelines on Development of NGOs in Europe
Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
Guidelines on Media Analysis
Guidelines on Peaceful Assembly
Guidelines on Privacy and Personal Data
Guidelines on Referendums
Guidelines on the Prohibition of Political Parties
Guidelines to Assist National Minority Participation
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Guiding Principles on IDPs
HRC Resolution 30/9
Hajili v. Azerbaijan
Handbook for European Union Election Observation (1st Ed.)
Handbook for European Union Election Observation (2nd Ed.)
Handbook for Observers of Elections
Handbook on Electoral Justice
Handbook on Electoral System Design
Handbook on Voting from Abroad
Harare Declaration
Helsinki Final Act
Herri Batasuna and Batasuna v. Spain
Hilbe v. Liechtenstein
Hirst v. the United Kingdom (no. 2)
Human Rights Monitoring
Human Rights and Elections
IACAC
IADC
ICCPR
ICERD
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention
International Standards on Transparency and Accountability
Istanbul Document
Joint Declaration 1999
Joint Declaration 2000
Joint Declaration 2001
Joint Declaration 2002
Joint Declaration 2003
Joint Declaration 2005
Joint Declaration 2006
Joint Declaration 2007
Joint Declaration on Challenges to Freedom of Expression
Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Elections in the Digital Age
Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and “Fake News”, Disinformation and Propaganda
Joint Declaration on Media Independence and Diversity in the Digital Age
Joint Declaration on Universality and the Right to Freedom of Expression
Joint Declaration on the Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
Joint Statement on Racism and the Media 2001
Joint Statement on the Media and Elections
Journalistic Freedoms and Human Rights
Karimov v. Azerbaijan
Katsora v. Belarus
Kerimli and Alibeyli v. Azerbaijan
Kerimova v. Azerbaijan
Kim Jong-Cheol v. Republic of Korea
Kovach v. Ukraine
Krasnov and Skuratov v. Russia
Kungurov v. Uzbekistan
Labita v. Italy
Legislation on Political Parties
Lykourezos v. Greece
Madrid Document
Manual for Election Observation
Manual on Observing Electoral Justice Systems
Mathieu-Mohin and Clerfayt v. Belgium
Matthews v. the United Kingdom
Media and Elections
Melnychenko v. Ukraine
Model Law on Access to Information for Africa
Monitoring Women's Participation
Moscow Document
Namat Aliyev v. Azerbaijan
Norms and Standards
OAS Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women
OAS Inter-American Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance
Observation of New Voting Technologies
Observing Campaign Finance
Observing Election Dispute Resolution
Oran v. Turkey
Organising
P.L. v. Belarus
PEMMO
Participation of National Minorities in Elections
Participation of Political Parties
Parties and Candidates
Pierre-Bloch v. France
Political Finance in Post-Conflict Societies
Principles and Guidelines
Principles on Freedom of Expression
Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa
Principles on Protecting Civic Space
Principles on Use of Digital Technologies in Elections
Privacy Framework
Promoting Legal Frameworks
Protocol on Culture - Information and Sport
Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance
Protocol on the Fight against Corruption
Protocol to the ACHPR on the Rights of Older Persons
Protocol to the ACHPR on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Protocol to the ACHPR on the Rights of Women
Protocol to the ECHR
Public Security Providers in Elections
Quito Communiqué
Realizing Human Rights Through Government Budgets
Recommendation (2000)7 on the Right Not to Disclose Sources
Recommendation (2002)2 on Access to Official Documents
Recommendation (2003)3 on Balanced Participation of Men and Women
Recommendation (2003)4 on Corruption in Political Party and Electoral Campaign Funding
Recommendation (2004)11 on Standards for E-voting
Recommendation (2004)16 on Right of Reply
Recommendation (2004)20 on Judicial Review
Recommendation (2007)15 on Media Coverage of Election Campaigns
Recommendation (2007)7 on Good Administration
Recommendation (2011)14 on the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Political and Public Life
Recommendation (2012)1 on Public Service Media Governance
Recommendation (2012)3 on Search Engines
Recommendation (2012)4 on Social Networking Services
Recommendation (2013)1 on Gender Equality and Media
Recommendation (2016)1 on Freedom of Expression and Privacy Online
Recommendation (2016)4 on Safety of Journalists
Recommendation (2016)5 on Internet Freedom
Recommendation (2018)1 on Pluralism and Transparency of Media Ownership
Recommendation (2018)11 on Protection of Civil Society Space
Recommendation (2018)2 on Internet Intermediaries
Recommendation (94)12 on the Role of Judges
Recommendation 1516(2001) on Financing Political Parties
Recommendation 1641(2004) on Public Service Broadcasting
Recommendation R 81(7) on Access to Justice
Recommendation R 84(5) on the Functioning of Justice
Recommendation R 94(13) on Media Transparency
Recommendation R 99(15)
Recommendation Rec(2003)16
Recommendation on Tackling Illegal Content Online
Recommendations on Enabling Environment for Civil Society
Recommendations on Political Financing
Reference Guide for Election Observers
Report Special Rapp Assembly and Association 2019
Report of the Special Rapporteur Assembly and Association 2013
Report of the Special Rapporteur on Disinformation and Freedom of Opinion and Expression
Report of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression 1999
Report of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression
Report on Civil Society Space
Report on Electoral Law and Electoral Administration in Europe
Report on Electoral Systems
Report on Out-Of-Country Voting
Resolution (97)24 on Guiding Principles against Corruption
Resolution 105 (2000) on the Financial Transparency of Political Parties and their Democratic Functioning at the Regional Level
Resolution 1642(2009) on Access to Rights for People with Disabilities
Resolution 1897(2012) on Ensuring Greater Democracy in Elections
Resolution 2035(2015) on Safety of Journalists and Media
Resolution 2155(2017) on Political Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Resolution 2179(2017) on Political Influence on Media and Journalists
Resolution 2226(2018) on New Restrictions on NGO Activities
Resolution 2242(2015)
Resolution 2254(2019) on Media Freedom
Resolution 2256(2019) on Internet Governance and Human Rights
Resolution 2281(2019) on Social Media
Resolution 38/12 on Civil Society Space
Resolution 38/7 on Human Rights on the Internet
Resolution 39/6 on Safety of Journalists
Resolution 68/164
Resolution 73/179
Resolution Nº 01/90, cases 9768, 9780, and 9828
Resolution on Addressing Shrinking Civil Society Space (2016/2324(INI))
Resolution on EU Youth Strategy
Resolving Election Disputes in the OSCE Area
Reviewing a Legal Framework
Reviewing a Legal Framework (Second Edition)
Revised Interpretative Declaration on Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Right to Restitution, Compensation, and Rehabilitation for Victims
Right to a Fair Trial
Rpt Spec Rapp Opinion Expression 2014
Rpt Spec Rapp Opinion and Expression 2018
Rpt Spec Rapp VAWP
SADC Protocol Against Corruption
Shindler v. the United Kingdom
Siracusa Principles
Sitaropoulos and Giakoumopoulos v. Greece
Spec Rapp Rpt Online Violence Against Women
Statement of the Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas - Financing Democracy: Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections
Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech
Study on the Use of Internet in Electoral Campaigns
Sudalenko v. Belarus
TI Policy Position - No. 01/2005
TI Policy Position - No. 2/2005
Tackling Disinformation and Online Hate Speech
The Atlanta Declaration
Thematic Study on Participation in Political and Public Life by Persons with Disabilities
Toonen v. Australia
Transparency and Accountability in Online Political Advertising
UDHR
UN HRC Res. 27/24
UNCAC
UNHRC General Comment No. 10
UNHRC General Comment No. 18
UNHRC General Comment No. 25
UNHRC General Comment No. 27
UNHRC General Comment No. 28
UNHRC General Comment No. 29
UNHRC General Comment No. 31
UNHRC General Comment No. 32
UNHRC General Comment No. 34
UNHRCSRExtraKillings
United Nations Principles for Older Persons
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
Vienna Document
Views on Communication No. 4/2011
Viktorovich et. Al v. Belarus
Voting Rights of Migrants and IDPs
Women’s Participation in Elections
Yasinovick & Shevchenko v. Belarus
Yevdokimov and Rezanov v. Russia
Yogyakarta Principles
Youth Charter
Zalesskaya v. Belarus
Acceptance Level
Ratified/Acceded
Ratified/Acceded (with reservations)
Signed
Signed (with reservations)
Persuasive upon*
Not Party to
Evidence of good state practice
Print
51 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties
"The absolute minimum period between calling a referendum and polling day should be four weeks. A considerably longer period of preparation is desirable, however, particularly if the topic has not already been subject to widespread public discussion. The campaign period must not be shorter than for regular elections."
