Today, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly made the following statement at the National Press Club on the U.S. elections:

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Post-Election Statement – U.S. General Elections
6 November 2008

Conclusions
The U.S. elections on 4 November 2008 were a convincing demonstration of the country’s commitment to democracy. In a highly competitive environment, the vote clearly reflected the will of the people, and only minor problems were observed by international parliamentarians monitoring the elections in nine key states. The voters clearly were given a genuine opportunity to make an informed choice.

Following an intensive registration process in which over 150 million Americans were registered to vote, these elections saw a record-high voter turnout, in some states up to 90 percent. The early voting option offered to the voters in over 30 states contributed greatly to the high turnout. It is estimated that over 30 percent of the voters took advantage of this opportunity for early voting.

While prior to the elections concern was expressed over the ability to process the expected record turnout, the large amount of early voters likely played an important role in making election day successful and absent of major problems. Still, it is clear that early voting did not remedy all capacity problems, as witnessed by voters having to wait to vote for often many hours in numerous places around the country.

Nevertheless, the decentralized and highly diverse electoral system lacks uniform standards, creating vulnerabilities in the system, particularly with regards to the integrity and complexity of voter registration, voter identification, and electronic voting machines.

The increased use of paper ballots and optical scanners was seen as a positive step by the parliamentary observers. However, ballot design in many states was seen as overly complicated and proved at times to slow down the voting process.

The frequent presence of observers/poll watchers from political parties and civil rights organizations, including thousands of attorneys and volunteers to provide legal assistance to voters, was positive although may be a reflection of the complexity of the system.

Access of international election observers is regulated by state law and in some cases parliamentary observers were not able to observe voting inside the polling stations.

Mission
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly assessed the 2008 U.S. presidential elections as well as the election of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the U.S. Congress for their conformity with the OSCE commitments as stated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document, to which the United States has subscribed.

The OSCE PA started its election observation with a two-day seminar in the U.S. Congress in September 2008 for 43 Members of Parliament. In October, it deployed a Pre-Assessment Mission in five states. The Short Term Observation Mission, including a total of 94 observers of whom 76 are Members of Parliament from 28 countries, continued on 27 October in Washington, D.C. and was subsequently deployed to nine states: Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Ohio, Missouri, Colorado and New Mexico, plus the District of Columbia.

Observers received briefing material prior to arriving in the country for further briefings in Washington D.C. and their states of deployment five days prior to the elections.

Legal Framework
The legal framework for elections is highly decentralized in the United States. It is based on state laws and, frequently, on regulations decided at county level. As a consequence, there is no uniformity on fundamental issues such as eligibility to vote, voter registration, voting and counting procedures.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which – after the 2000 elections – served to establish some minimum standards for the states – has served the electoral process well. However, in several states, the process of implementing the HAVA has not yet been completed. Some argue for a second phase of HAVA.

The possibilities to verify the correctness of the voter register and to crosscheck it with neighbouring states, in order to avoid double registrations are limited and not widely used. Identification requirements, in particular the wide-spread possibility to vote without any picture I.D., also limit possibilities to identify instances of double voting. Double voting is a third-degree felony in most states and also violates federal election-fraud laws.

Election Campaign
This presidential election process witnessed record campaign contributions totalling USD 2.5 billion. The Democratic candidate Barack Obama raised USD 640 million and decided to forsake public contributions, while the Republican candidate John McCain raised USD 360 million and accepted public money, obliging him to limit spending since his nomination to USD 84 million he received in public funds.
This fact has led to a debate even before election day about whether the public funding system will survive another Presidential election. At a minimum, many say, it must be reformed.


The campaign was highly competitive and took place in a free and pluralistic media environment. The four television debates between the candidates – this year three were held between the Presidential candidates and one with the Vice-Presidential candidates – were the highlight of extensive media coverage with an estimated total of around 70 million viewers.

The two leading presidential candidates were the main focus of journalistic reporting and contestants extensively used paid advertising, leading to a very limited visibility of other political parties and candidates. An estimated 6,000 political ads ran on television stations across the country.

Early Voting
The increased possibility for voters to vote early was a highly positive step for the U.S. electoral process. Early voting was conducted in many states up to several weeks in advance of election day. In addition to early in-person voting, voting by-mail is gaining popularity, encouraged by the fact that some 33 states do not require an excuse for such mail/absentee voting. Oregon votes entirely by mail. In Washington State, 37 counties (of 39) also vote by mail.

Election Day
In addition to the voting itself, observers witnessed the opening of polling stations as well as the closing process, including the vote count. No major problems were reported, and observers were generally impressed by the efficiency of the vote tabulation. Overall, the atmosphere at the polling stations was calm and friendly.

Voting on election day opened in most places with long lines and great anticipation from the voters. Many waited hours to cast their vote but did not seem to mind and patiently waited their turn. Local election officials and poll workers appeared well-trained but had their hands full with the high turnout. In some places, observers raised concerns over the capacity of the polling stations and the limited number of poll workers available.

Technical difficulties with the machines were generally solved quickly and did not seem to negatively influence the integrity of the vote. Observers also noted what they thought to be a lack of voter secrecy. Voting booths and electronic voting machines were often placed too closely to each other enabling clear insight as to how a voter marked the ballot. The fact that ballots in some places were placed into the optical scanner face up and in full view of the poll workers and other voters also was seen as a potential compromise of voter secrecy.

Voting procedure/equipment ballot design
Various techniques and voting machines are used in the United States. In 2004, the OSCE recommended the universal use of a paper trail system, but to date 15 states do not have paper records in their voting systems. HAVA stipulates that all voting systems produce a permanent paper record for a manual audit as the official record in the case of recount. However, it does not specify if such a paper record should be made available to voters. A voter-verifiable paper audit trail was provided in 18 states for voters using Direct Recording Equipment (DRE) machines. Observers were particularly impressed by the optical scanners used in many states and favour a continued use of such equipment. There seems to be a growing consensus in favour of paper ballots with optical scan counting, yet the implementation of this in some places is limited by financial concerns.

With election reforms primarily focusing on technological issues, less attention has been devoted to ballot design. In many instances the observers found the ballot design overly complicated, which slowed down the voting process and could have led to errors.
Eligibility/Voter registration

The 2008 elections have seen a record number of newly registered voters, in excess of some 10 million people. A total of 153 million Americans are registered to vote, which is an estimated 75 per cent of the eligible voter population. This high number is a result of the active involvement of civil society groups and candidates' campaigns and has become a significant and contentious element in the election campaign.

One community organizing group, Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN), conducted massive voter registration involving some allegedly fraudulent registrations. In response to complaints, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation.

Observers heard allegations of undue purges of eligible voters from the voter lists in six states, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina. The purging appears to be the result of mistakes in the handling of the registrations as the states tried to comply with HAVA, rather than any intentional effort. The ability to cast provisional ballots, which are subject to post-election registration verification, provides an extra option for voters who may have been erroneously removed.

Some concerns were raised about reported practices intended to prevent people from voting. Examples include systematic challenges of voters in fiercely contested areas, the improper purging of names from voter registration rolls, local misinformation, campaigns disseminating incorrect information on timing and places of voting, and intentionally providing too few voting machines in lower-income communities.

Voting rights of felons and ex-felons are determined by state law. Such laws vary broadly. Individuals convicted of felonies lose their right to vote in all U.S. states except for four. In most states, felons can regain the right to vote after serving their prison time. In ten states, felons lose the right to vote for life.

Registration of Parties/Candidates
Thirty political parties registered for the elections and candidates can also run as Independents, without any party affiliation. However, the political landscape has long been dominated by the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Since 1856, every president elected by U.S. voters has belonged to one of these two parties, and in practice these two parties play a lead role in the organization of the elections.

Although so-called ‘third parties’ rarely win national elections, they have had some success on the local level in recent years. The current ‘third parties’ that have national voter registrations of more than 100,000 people include: the Constitution Party, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party.

Ballot access laws pose a challenge to ‘third party’ candidacies. While the Democrat and Republican parties are virtually guaranteed ballot access in all 50 states in every election, ‘third parties’ often need to meet difficult criteria in order to get on the ballot, such as registration fees or, in many states, petition requirements in which a large number of voters must sign a petition for a third party or independent candidate to gain ballot access.

Mission information
The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE is the parliamentary dimension of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, whose 56 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The OSCE PA election observation mission was led by President Joao Soares (Portugal), and Deputy Head of Mission, Vice-President Pia Christmas-Moeller (Denmark).

On Election Day, American voters will not be the only ones at the polls. An international mission of election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will be deployed to various polling stations throughout the country, many of which are located in key battleground states.

The purpose of their mission is to observe our Presidential elections firsthand. As I have had the opportunity to lead election observation missions in Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belarus, and most recently in Georgia, I believe that it is incumbent upon the United States to act as a model for the international community by inviting international observers here and to hold open and transparent elections.

The electoral process faces many challenges in any democracy, and although elections at times can be far from perfect, we must do everything in our power to ensure that they are free and fair. Given the diversity of the U.S. electoral process between different states and regions, there are a number of potential issues to monitor closely, from electronic voting and ballot design to voter turnout and voter suppression.

In September of this year, a delegation from the OSCE PA traveled to Washington to attend a two-day election seminar on the upcoming U.S. elections. A distinguished panel of Congressional speakers, party representatives, and media shared their prospective for what is being called a “historic election”.

It is truly an exciting time in American politics. Whether my colleague Sen. Obama or Sen. McCain becomes our next President is up to the American people. Whatever the outcome, it is paramount that the final decision is arrived at freely and fairly. To all the OSCE election observers visiting us in the coming days, I extend my warmest welcome.

On October 20, I along with Congressman Chris Smith, Ranking Minority Member of the Helsinki Commission, sent a letter to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Our letter specifically requests that the BBG do the following:

1. Restore the VOA Russian direct radio shortwave broadcasts that ceased last July 26, 12 days before Russia’s invasion of Georgia.

2. Extend VOA Ukrainian radio broadcasts beyond their scheduled expiration date on December 31, 2008.

3. Reconfirm the BBGs decision of last August 8 to enhance and retain for the foreseeable future the VOA Georgian radio service.

In particular, the letter states that this request corresponds with U.S. interests, especially in light of the fact that freedom of the media in Russia has been cut to the point that it is extremely difficult for people to hear views other than the Kremlin’s.

The letter requests the BBG’s prompt consideration and formal notification of its acceptance to the appropriate committees in advance of the increasingly likely lame-duck session of Congress following the November 4 elections. Please click here to view a copy of the letter.

In April, I along with Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and Helsinki Commissioners Representatives Joseph R. Pitts and G.K. Butterfield sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Erdo?an, regarding the Sulukule urban transformation project. The letter expressed concern over the demolition of this historic community, which dates back to 1054, and whose residents are being forced to relocate outside of the city or onto the streets of Istanbul.  Link to April 4th letter to Turkish Prime Minister.

Despite efforts to find an alternative to the project, the demolition continued on August 28. I am extremely troubled by the nature of this demolition and the way it has been carried out. I believe that the Turkish government must find a common solution to this situation that not only treats the residents of Sulukule with the dignity and respect they deserve, but also ensures they are not left homeless.

On September 3, Fatih District Mayor Mustafa Demir noted in the Turkish Daily News (Houses in Sulukule occupied, Fatih mayor said), “This project is an opportunity for those people living there, that they will never have again in their life.” I do not find the destruction and subsequent forced removal of residents from one of the oldest Roma communities in Europe to be a so-called ‘opportunity.’ The Roma community in Sulukule has continued to live under extremely dire conditions – conditions that nobody should have to endure.

This urban transformation project is not about preserving this centuries-old neighborhood in a way that would allow the Roma living there to remain and contribute to Turkish society. Instead 620 new homes, a hotel and a culture and entertainment center will be constructed, displacing an historic community.

I urge the Turkish government and in particular Mayor Demir to uphold the agreement from the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) 1999 Istanbul Summit: “We recognize the particular difficulties faced by Roma and Sinti and the need to undertake effective measures in order to achieve full equality of opportunity, consistent with OSCE commitments, for persons belonging to Roma and Sinti. We will reinforce our efforts to ensure that Roma and Sinti are able to play a full and equal part in our societies, and to eradicate discrimination against them.”

It is imperative that the Turkish government find a solution that will eliminate the displacement and forced migration of the Romani community in Sulukule and instead give them the opportunity to work, provide shelter and education to their families, and contribute fully to society.

A ‘Humanitarian Surge’ for Iraqi Refugees Needed

I would like to bring to your attention an op-ed that appeared in The Hill newspaper on July 31, regarding legislation addressing the Iraqi refugee crisis that I recently introduced with Congressman John D. Dingell.

The Iraqi Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act (H.R. 6496), addresses the impending humanitarian crisis and potential security break-down as a result of the mass influx of Iraqi refugees into neighboring countries, and the growing internally displaced population in Iraq, by increasing directed accountable assistance to these populations and their host countries, as appropriate under U.S. law, as well as facilitating the resettlement of Iraqis at risk.

Please see the editorial below:
http://thehill.com/op-eds/plight-of-iraqi-refugees-demands-humanitarian-surge-2008-07-30.html

Plight of Iraqi refugees demands ‘humanitarian surge’
By Reps. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.)
Posted: 07/30/08 06:24 PM [ET]

Imagine one day the life you once knew was gone. One family member has been murdered, aanother kidnapped, and your own safety is threatened daily.

These are the tragic circumstances of many Iraqi refugees who have fled their country or been displaced internally inside of Iraq, having left their homes due to the ongoing threat of sectarian violence.

Not nearly enough attention and resources have been devoted to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. Iraqis are now one of the largest displaced populations in the world. According to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 1.5 million Iraqis have fled to neighboring countries such as Jordan and Syria and an additional 2.7 million have been internally displaced.

Iraqis remain stranded, jobless and deprived of essential services, with conditions worsening by the day. As resources are depleted and desperation sets in, this deepening humanitarian crisis threatens to further destabilize the entire region.

While Congress has taken significant steps to address the plight of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), greater attention and resources must be focused on the calamity.

We recently introduced the Iraqi Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act (H.R. 6496), comprehensive legislation that addresses this worsening crisis.

Our legislation does the following:
• Authorizes $700 million for each of the fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011 for the relief of Iraqi refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.
• Increases direct, accountable, bilateral assistance, as appropriate under U.S. law, and funding for international organizations and non-governmental organizations working in the region.
• Authorizes $500 million to increase humanitarian aid and infrastructure support for Jordan.
• Urges increased cooperation between the United States government and the international community to address this crisis.

While many in Congress have differing opinions on the war, we must set partisan politics aside and work together to find common solutions to this desperate situation. Our legislation takes a comprehensive approach, and we therefore urge our colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support this critical bill, which has been endorsed by more than 25 non-governmental organizations and religious groups.

The facts speak for themselves. With militia groups in Iraq providing substantial assistance to IDPs, and host countries failing to provide the needed resources to desperate Iraqis, this is a recipe for disaster.

Congress must provide a “humanitarian surge” — the future of the Middle East depends on it.

Hastings chairs the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), and is the special representative on Mediterranean Affairs for the group’s Parliamentary Assembly. Dingell chairs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.