Short-Term Election Observation (STO)

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Please note: German applicants for the STO course have to go through the selection process to join the ZIF Expert Pool for Election Observation.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be ready for deployment as an STO. This means that they will:

• Have in-depth knowledge about all processes, tasks and challenges related to an STO deployment in ODIHR or EU election observation missions;

• Know how to conduct themselves during a mission and how to best prepare for deployment;

• Be able to fulfil all necessary tasks, in particular the observation on election day, and to react appropriately to challenges.

Participation in the STO course is open for international applicants. Please note that the course is primarily aimed at participants from the EU and/or OSCE participating states, ideally with a recommendation by their respective national focal point(s). Applicants from other countries will only be admitted in exceptional cases.

Participation in the course is a prerequisite for German nationals, who wish to take part in OSCE/ODIHR and EU election observation missions as STOs. Please note that applicants have to go through the selection process for the ZIF Expert Pool for Election Observation (in German). Participation in the STO course is the final step in the admission process.

• Legal basis and frame of reference for election observation missions

• Institutional differences between EU and ODIHR election observation missions

• Short-term election observation at-a glance

• Code of conduct during election observation

• Working with national staff

• Types of reports, reporting technology and the “big picture”

• Election day simulation: opening, voting, counting

• EOM security management

• Individual preparedness and security on a short-term election observation mission

• Information about the ZIF secondment process (German nationals only)

German applicants to a STO course have to go through the selection process for the ZIF Expert Pool for Election Observation.

For international applicants, a letter of reference from your national Focal Point will increase your chances of being selected for the course.