A different view M


Anttoni James Numminen helped to ensure fair play as Macedonia voted


ore than half the world’s population – in over 80 countries – is voting in elections this year. As journalists, we often consider ourselves to be in a unique position for reporting on elections and observing democratic


processes. But there’s a less well-known group of organisations and people who report on elections around the world, usually voluntarily: election observers. Unlike party representatives at vote counts, election observers are deployed globally to report impartially on democratic process and make recommendations where necessary. Having learned that such opportunities existed, in May I


packed my bags and got on a plane to Macedonia (officially North Macedonia) to help observe the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections as part of an international mission organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In a way that is increasingly rare in journalism, I got to spend a whole week getting to know a part of the country, speaking to voters and election officials ahead of the vote, visiting polling stations, observing the processes on election day and staying after voting had ended. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are lots of similarities


between journalistic election coverage and acting as an official observer. While you often get to use the same skills, it can sometimes be difficult to put your reporting skills in the passenger seat when you see something that would make a great story – but you cannot interfere


What is election observation? Election observation missions are organised by various organisations to be the eyes and ears of the international community. They are not very widely known about, and I only found out about them because my mother took part in several election observation missions from Ukraine to Kazakhstan. My mission was with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic


Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which was set up by countries to promote transparency, human rights and elections among participating states. Having booked time off work as a local democracy reporter, I finished a shift covering the results of May’s local elections at a vote count in Yorkshire and caught my flight to Skopje, Macedonia’s capital, for more elections. As a politics journalist and a graduate of international


relations, I’ve had a long interest in elections but that has been largely been limited to working as a reporter or doing my democratic duty as a voter. To be able to observe on


14 | theJournalist


behalf of the international community gave a fascinating insight into the workings of another country and an international organisation. For the first two days of the week-long mission, almost 200 other international observers and I received comprehensive briefings covering political overviews of the country, the electoral system and the media environment. One of the first things we were told – and one of the biggest differences from journalistic coverage – was that, while political context is important, the process, rather than the results, is key.


Cultural exchange I was assigned to observe in Bitola, Macedonia’s second city and cultural capital, with my partner, an experienced American civil rights lawyer and regular election observer. In addition to being partnered up with an observer from another country, each team is assisted by local support staff. Our translator, Natasha Sipkoska Todorovska, started


supporting election observation missions in her native Macedonia more than 20 years ago. She does it “because of the thrill of being part of something that is very important for your country and people”. Todorovska, a teacher, thinks the missions are “very


effective” and that, in addition to their democratic objectives, they act as a form of cultural exchange: “It is always a pleasure because I get to learn new things and meet new


How to take part in a mission


Missions are organised by various bodies including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union.


Different missions: Governments invite organisations to observe their elections. Sometimes, missions involve only a core team of paid experts, whereas larger ones will include long-term observers (LTOs) and short-term observers (STOs). I was an STO for a week whereas LTOs arrive up to six weeks before election day.


Register: In the UK, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy acts as a focal point and you can sign up to receive alerts of upcoming opportunities (sometimes with just a few weeks’ notice). EU or dual nationals can also apply for EU missions and those organised by the country of nationality.


Complete training courses: You need to pass courses set by the sending organisations.


Apply: Once you’ve passed the courses and are signed up for email alerts, you can start applying. Most journalists already hold a lot of the key competencies for election observation: impartiality, good interpersonal skills, an ability to work under pressure and a keen eye for detail. Language skills and experience of elections and international organisations are also advantages.


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