Electoral Transparency: Eight Keys to Integrity
Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
August 23 – 24, 2016
Preamble
Reaffirming that the holding of periodic, free, and fair elections based on secret ballots and universal suffrage is the true expression of the sovereignty of the people;
Adhering to the principles enshrined in the Bangkok Declaration on Free and Fair Elections and to the rights and principles proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Universal Declaration on Democracy;
Committed to strengthening utilization of the Indicators of Democratic Elections adopted at the 2nd Asian Electoral takeholders Forum held in Dili, Timor-Lest on March 18-19, 2015;
Recognizing that confidence in electoral integrity depends on the transparency of all aspects of the electoral process and that both election management bodies and civil society have important roles to play in assuring electoral integrity. While also considering the diversity and uniqueness of the situations and contexts of every country and geographical realm;
Now, therefore, we, Asian electoral stakeholders representing both election management bodies (EMBs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), resolve to enhance electoral integrity by working together in a spirit of cooperation between EMBs and CSOs to implement each of the Eight Keys to Integrity:
Electoral Transparency: Eight Keys to Integrity
Transparent EMB’s: The laws and procedures for appointment of EMB members and the operation of EMBs must be clearly written. The public must be able to observe all aspects of EMB operations.
Transparent campaign fundraising: Laws and regulations must require full and timely disclosure of the sources of all monies raised by candidates, political parties and independent groups seeking to influence the outcomes of referenda
and/or electoral campaigns for office.
Transparent campaign spending: Laws and regulations must require full and timely disclosure of the use of all monies raised by candidates, political parties and independent groups seeking to influence the outcomes of campaigns for political office and/or referenda.
Transparent public access to campaign finances: The public must have full internet access to EMB files containing campaign finance data, with all files maintained in a form which can be readily analyzed by any member of the public with basic computer skills.
Transparent voter registration: The process by which the voter list is compiled, checked, updated and maintained must be open to observation by the public. Full internet access to the voter registration list, including corrections on a realtime basis, must be guaranteed to the public.
Transparent observation: National and international election observers must be free to observe all parts of the election process, including but not limited to, advance voting, polling on election day, vote tabulation, and all other functions
discussed in the “Eight Keys to Integrity”.
Transparent election results: An announcement at each polling station of the results of the voting at that polling station must be made on the same day that voting is held, followed by prompt posting of all results on the EMB’s web site.
Transparent election complaint process: There must be widespread dissemination of the procedures for filing complaints of election violations, followed by the ability of the public to access complaints shortly after they are filed and to be apprised promptly of the disposition of each complaint. Adopted at the 3rd Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum on August 23-24, 2016 held at Kuta in Bali, Indonesia.
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