ABSTRACT
In light of empirical research dealing with election observation overall, covering a long period of time and including elections that were observed and ones that had not been observed as well as several organisations carrying out election observation, it seems evident that international election observation has effects, although the findings are both encouraging and discouraging. In principle, all election observation activities are based upon the premise that a state where elections are coming up and which the state in question wishes to be observed issues an invitation to the inter-governmental organisations (IGOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The more substantive functions are normally related to the final report, which is a more comprehensive analysis of the electoral process from the very first stages of the electoral process until the seating of the elected body, including possible election-related complaints that have been resolved by the courts.
