Adopted on 20 July 2015, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
Table of Contents
DEFINITIONS OF CONCEPTS AND ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................ ii
1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................................ 1
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE SADC
PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS ......................................................................................... 3
3. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SADC PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS…… 4
4. PRINCIPLES FOR CONDUCTING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS .............................................................................................................. 4
5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBER STATES HOLDING ELECTIONS .................................................................................................... 6
6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ORGAN IN ELECTORAL PROCESSES IN SADC ................................................................................. 7
7RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES OF THE SEAC IN ELECTORAL PROCESSES IN SADC .............................................................. 8
7.1 SEAC’s Role during the Pre-election Period ............................................................................................................................................ 8
7.2 SEAC’s Role during the Election Period ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
7.3 SEAC’s Role during the Post-election Period ........................................................................................................................................... 9
8. CONSTITUTION AND MANDATE OF THE SADC ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS (SEOMs) .................................. 9
8.1 CONSTITUTION OF THE SADC ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS (SEOMs) ................................................................. 9
8.2 SELECTION OF INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON SEOMs ....................................................................................................................... 10
8.3 MANDATE OF SEOMS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
9. RIGHTS OF SADC ELECTION OBSERVERS ............................................................................................................................................... 11
10. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SADC ELECTION OBSERVERS ................................................................................................................ 12
11. GUIDELINES FOR ELECTORAL OBSERVATION AND REPORTING ............................................................................................ 14
11.1 RATIONALE FOR ELECTORAL OBSERVATION ………………………………………………………………………………………… 14
11.2 ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER IN ELECTORAL OBSERVATION ....................................................................................................... 14
11.3 PRE-ELECTION PERIOD……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….......... 14
11.4 Civic and Voter Education………………………………………………………………………………………………………………................ …… 15
11.5 Voter Registration ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
11.6 ELECTION PERIOD: ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
11.7 POST-ELECTION PERIOD: ........................................................................................................................................................................... 16
11.8 ELECTION REPORTING BY SADC ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS ........................................................................ 16
12. REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE SADC PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES ................................................................ 17
13. ANNEXURES ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
13.1 ANNEXURE1: GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ELECTORAL OBSERVATION AND
REPORTING………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………18
13.1.1 Rationale for Electoral Observation………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18
13.1.2 Elements to Consider in Electoral Observation…………………………………………………………………………………………. 18
13.2 PRE-ELECTION PERIOD………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... 20
13.3 Civic and Voter Education………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20
13.4 Voter Registration……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 21
13.5 ELECTION PERIOD……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21
13.6 POST-ELECTION PERIOD………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...... 21
14. ANNEXURE2: GENERAL CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION OF SADC ELECTION
OBSERVERS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22
14.1. SEOM Selection Criteria:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
14.2. SEOM Selection Process: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
14.3. SEOM Observer Profile: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....23
i