Experiences of the Association of European Election Officials as ACE Regional Centre Overview First part of 2009 Stockholm, Sweden, June 2009

Activities since January 2009 Information gathering Follow the objectives Challenges Support of ACE team

Activities – since January 2009 ● General experiences – ACEEEO as RERC in ACE network ● Expansion of regional activities ►Slovenia, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Turkey – more activity ● Preparations to the European Parliamentary Elections ► Voters’ education tool - Voters’ Compass (VoteMatch Europe 2009) (www.votematch.eu ; www.valasz.eu ; www.aceeeo.org ) ► regional election observation mission (EPE: Macedonia, Kosovo) ► second EPE evaluation Seminar, 2-3 July, Budapest ● Training needs assessment: ► Kosovo and Macedonia – pilot project in cooperation with IFE

● Scientific Survey ► scientific network of sociologists to describe European voting habits ● Promotion of ACE Encyclopedia ► researcher students contacting ACEEEO for relevant information ► educational tool of internship students and trainees at ACEEEO secretariat ► preparing for discussions of 19th annual conference of ACEEEO (Judicial protection of electoral rights)

► linkage between needs and possibilities ● Needs assessment survey for regional partners ► linkage between needs and possibilities ► regional partners’ expectations from ACEEEO ► training needs assessment of the region  overview ► possibilities of professional development ► period of completion: July – August 2009 ► period of analysis: September 2009

● Regional networking ► needs assessment ► involve ACEEEO members in the Practitioners network ► face-to-face networking: EB Meeting, EPE Seminar, VoteMatch Europe 2009, annual conference 2009 in Yerevan, Armenia (role of Armenian RBI in the conference) ► Zoltan Toth’s meeting with the Gulf Election Officials and with the Jordan Regional Centre in early February

2. Information gathering ● regular update of Regional Centre page and country pages ► according to upcoming elections ● updating comparative data for all countries ►the following countries miss few questions: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey – reason: there’s no relevant article available in law description and local EMBs’ help is needed. ● E-newsletter in every quarter year with relevant ACE issues

● Publish the result of UNDEF project by linking relevant ACEEEO page on ACE website (2010-2011) ● Publish the outcome of scientific researches on ACE website ● upload photos to the ACE website ● link the E-documentation centre to the ACE site

● New ACEEEO website launched in January 2009 3. Follow the objectives ● New ACEEEO website launched in January 2009 ► supported by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission ► up-to-date and transparent information ● ACEEEO’s annual journal – Elections in Europe ► publication opportunity for election professionals and stakeholders ● Needs assessment

● Annual gathering ► annual conference for election stakeholders ● election observation possibilities for ACEEEO member states ● Seminars for election stakeholders ► EPE evaluation seminar, 2-3 July ● Identify experts to join Practitioners’ Network ● Identify experts and key personalities to participate in TfF (Train the Facilitators’) BRIDGE Courses

4. Challenges ● Involving local EMBs in comparative data updating ► they are busy and have no time to answer the questions ● collecting relevant and neutral (not party-sided) information on elections of the region ● providing the importance of participating in democratic related issues, especially in voting processes ► a survey of new type voting habits is needed, and new directions are needed as well to draw citizens’ attention ● participating in civic education processes ● found raising

5. Support of ACE team ● To encourage local EMBs of the region to participate in scientific surveys and to help the regional centre in pending issues ► e.g. send information to regional centre for updating comparative data base. ● Additional founds to prepare case-studies ● The possibility for ACEEEO to participate in TfF (Train the Facilitators’) BRIDGE Courses ● User-friendly ACE webpage ● Collaboration with other ACE RERC centres to exchange experiences and new ideas ● ACE-ACEEEO joint brochure in order to promote ACE and ACEEEO in the region for professionals

Thank you for your attention! On behalf of Dr. Zoltán Tóth, the secretary general of the Association, I would like to thank you that the ACE Steering Board has accepted ACEEEO as an associate member of the ACE Electoral Network. We are pleased to be part of your team. Thank you for your attention! ☺ Anna Sólyom project manager ACEEEO asolyom@aceeeo.org www.aceeeo.org