1. Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation DECO

2. DECO/OAS DECO is one of three departments of the Secretariat for Political Affairs

3. DECO/OAS DECO/OAS organizes Electoral Observation Missions and technical cooperation projects for OAS member States

4. The principles “To promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention” Charter of the OAS, Art 2, Inc. b that guide us… “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.” Inter-American Democratic Charter, Art. 1

5. Key milestones 1990 2014 DECO Today First time that the OAS observed elections EOM Nicaragua (UPD is Created) SPA DECO 1962 2005 2007

6. DECO Today

7. Argentina Bahamas Antigua and Barbuda Belize Bolivia Colombia Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Panama Paraguay Peru Dominican Republic Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Lucia Suriname Venezuela Costa Rica Nicaragua 200+ elections in 30 countries Dominica Since 1962 the OAS has accompanied Brazil Uruguay Chile

8. Methodologies EOMs Recommendations Technical Cooperation DECO´S cycle

9. Methodologies EOMs DECO´S cycle

10. What do we observe ?

11. Political Integration Gender equality Ethnic minorities Voting from abroad Persons with disabilities

12. Equal access to media Electoral organization and technology Electoral Justice The Electoral Process

13. Political-Electoral Financing Electoral Violence & Security Government Intervention Electoral Integrity

15. Methodologies EOMs Recommendations DECO´S cycle

16. Recurrent High regional impact Systematization of Recommendations Viable Technical Cooperation Projects

17. 56% 17% 10% 7% 5% 4% 1% Electoral organization Financing Gender equality Political and legal system Media Technology Electoral malpractice Recommendations made by OAS/EOMs

18. Recommendations within the category of electoral organization 32% Electoral registry and voting lists 29% 21% 18% Voting Process Electoral Administration Vote counting and transmission of results

19. Voter registration Registraton of political organizations and candidates Electoral logistics Vote casting Vote counting and declaration of the results Electoral education Oversight of political campaign financing Dispute resolution New ISO Electoral Standard 17582 Encompasses 8 key processes:

20. Methodologies EOMs Recommendations Technical Cooperation DECO´S cycle

21. Since 2007 we have implemented 30 technical cooperation projects in 14 countries of the region

22. Technical Cooperation - Projects include… Audit of Electoral Registries Quality Management and Certification in Electoral Processes Audit of Electronic Voting Systematization of Judicial Decisions on Electoral matters Strengthening the Electoral Process and Registration Systems Electoral Technology: Analysis of Systems and Processes

23. DECO´S Impact

25. PAÍSTIPO DE ELECCIÓNACTIVIDADFECHA ELECCIÓN El Salvador Presidential (First Round)EOMFebruary 2 Presidential (Run-off)EOMMarch 9 Costa Rica Presidential and Legislative (First Round)EOMFebruary 2 Presidential (Run-off)EOMApril 6 Colombia LegislativeEOMMarch 9 Presidential (First Round)EOMMay 25 Presidential (Run-off)EOMJune 15 PanamaPresidential and LegislativeEOMMay 4 Antigua y BarbudaGeneralEOMJune 12 PeruRegional and MunicipalEOMOctober 5 BoliviaGeneralEOMOctober 12 BrasilGeneralSupportOctober 5 UruguayNationalSupportOctober 12 DominicaParliamentaryEOMDecember 8 TOTAL: 13 2014 Elections

26. COUNTRYELECTIONELECTION DAY St. Kitts and NevisParliamentaryJanuary - April GuyanaGeneral/LocalJanuary - March BoliviaMunicipal/DepartmentalFebruary - March El SalvadorParliamentaryMarch Trinidad and TobagoParliamentaryMay - September 2015 UruguayMunicipalMay 10 SurinamePresidencial/ParliamentaryMay 25 MexicoParliamentaryJuly 5 ArgentinaPrimaryAugust 9 GuatemalaGeneralSeptember 13 VenezuelaParliamentarySeptember JamaicaLocalSeptember ColombiaMunicipalOctober 25 ArgentinaGeneralOctober 25 HaitiPresidencialOctober ParaguayMunicipalNovember St Vincent and the GrenadinesParliamentaryDecember 2015 - March 2016 Electoral Calendar 2015

27. Gerardo de Icaza DECO Director Contact Tel: 1 202 370 4526 Email: gdeicaza@oas.org / deco@oas.org