Promoting Sustained Professional Development in Electoral Management Bodies: Towards an International ISO Electoral Standard Tyler Finn Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation Organization of American States

Contents  Background on ISO Electoral Standard  Quality Management Systems  Implementation of QMS in EMBs  OAS Technical Cooperation: Case Studies  What is ISO Electoral Standard 17582?  Content  Benefits  Current Status of ISO 17582

Background: ISO / ISO 9001

Quality Management System a series of interrelated activities aimed at continually improving the effectiveness of an organization in the delivery of products or services Based on eight principles: 1. Client Orientation 2. Leadership 3. Involvement of staff 4. Process-based approach 5. System appraoch to management 6. Continual Improvement 7. Factual approach to decision making 8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships Supported by a system of documentation specifying responsibilities, processes, inputs and results Certification through external audits (based on requirements of ISO 9001)

Principal Benefits of Implementing QMS Transparency and Accountability – Monitoring and measurement of quality to detect irregularities – Creates culture of continuous improvement – Builds citizen confidence in electoral administration Satisfying Citizen Demand – Generates focus on electoral client (voters, candidates, political organizations) Professionalizing the Public Service – Supports staff member achievement through clearly defined and documented procedures in the electoral field

OAS Technical Cooperation: Case Studies Panama: Tribunal Electoral (2007) Costa Rica: Tribunal de Elecciones (2008) Peru: Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (2010) Dominican Republic: Junta Central Electoral (2012 -)

Developing a Specialized Standard for Electoral Bodies: ISO 17582

Quality Management Systems – Particular requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2008 for electoral organizations at all levels of government Designed specifically for use by electoral bodies Involves 8 key electoral processes: » Voter registration » Registration of political organizations and candidates » Electoral logistics » Vote Casting » Vote Counting and Declaration of Results » Electoral Education » Oversight of Campaign Financing » Resolution of Electoral Disputes Flexible structure: specifies “the what” not “the how” Focus on quality and satisfaction of the electorate

Common Misconceptions about ISO Does not contravene national laws or customs Does not demand uniformity in the structure of electoral quality management systems or documentation Not intended to prevent fraud or manipulation Certification is not an end in and of itself

Benefits of ISO  Internal Identify operational vulnerabilities Highlight opportunities for improvement Greater emphasis on leadership, communication and management of change Framework to evaluate services provided to citizens Inculcate culture of continual improvement  External Transparency through audit/certification Build confidence among electorate Reputation among international community

OAS Methodology for QMS Implementation

What is the status of ISO 17582? To become an official, international standard, ISO must be formally approved by the national standards bodies of the ISO/TC 176 member nations.  Working Group 3 formed in 2011  Multidisciplinary team of representatives from 15 countries  Draft International Standard (DIS) Ballot: September 2, 2013  Circulated among member bodies of ISO/TC 176 for review and commentary The support of the electoral community is fundamental

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