 “All stakeholder needs and expectations are vastly different and you must make concerted efforts to know and manage them well”  Unknown

Stakeholder Relations Management (SRM) is based on the premise that the success of any organization can only occur with the informed consent of its stakeholder community. This community comprises individuals and groups, each with a different potential to influence the outcome of the organization’s decisions and work.

 To carry out its mandate successfully, an EMB must devise effective strategies to win the support and cooperation of their stakeholders.  Unless the EMB have stakeholders who appreciate its decisions and actions, its work may be frustrated by stakeholders who are negatively disposed towards the EMB.

EMB SRM should entail concerted and deliberate efforts to analyze various electoral stakeholders and devise appropriate strategies to manage expectations through open and sustained communication and cooperation in order to achieve the EMB’s ultimate goal of fostering credible elections.  SRM is not:  Propaganda  Cheap publicity; nor  Any other form of stakeholder manipulation

 It strengthens democratic management of elections through participation and active involvement of all stakeholder holders and communities;  It enhances stakeholder confidence and trust in the EMB and electoral process; and  It enhances stakeholder ownership of elections and their outcomes.

 Fostering EMB-stakeholder relations should be a concerted, carefully-planned process guided by policy actions and budgetary allocation.  It is a participatory and transparent process of involving key stakeholders in the EMB’s decisions and work including: ◦ Legal and Institutional Reform ◦ Strategic Planning ◦ Implementation of Key Electoral Assignments

 The EMB must identify, map out and analyze its various stakeholders: who are the EMB stakeholders, and what is their value, influence and powers:  Is a particular stakeholder a primary or secondary stakeholder, when, where, how and why?

 An EMB must assess and prioritize stakeholder's perceived power, proximity and urgency, produces an 'index' for each stakeholder, which is used to produce the prioritized list of stakeholders and appropriate engagement strategy.

 Based on sound analysis of stakeholder needs and expectations, the EMB must devise a communication plan which seeks to acknowledge, understand and manage each stakeholder expectations and concerns in a transparent and open manner.

 An EMB must map changes in the levels of support and receptiveness of each stakeholder, over time: e.g. is the communications plan producing the required results or should it be reviewed and updated?  1.Identify key principles and values to underscore SRM Strategy  2. Set SMART objectives for the Strategy  3.Identify the engagement techniques and tools  4.Spell out clearly the management responsibilities and resource allocations

Transparency Integrity Professionalis m Sustainability

Party Liaison Media Liaison Conflict Management Civic & Voter Education

Electoral Stakeholder Management is about devising a deliberate, effective strategy to win the support and cooperation of those who can make or break an election.