1. Voting access

Authorities should make voting accessible to the electorate by ensuring that there are sufficient and accessible polling stations throughout the country. Authorities should ensure the freedom of movement of voters to polling stations. Arrangements should be made for persons with disabilities to have access to the polling stations.

2. Voting process

The procedures for voting should be consistent for all voters and allow voters to cast their ballots in an efficient and organized manner. Polling staff should be required to act in a fair and impartial manner. All voters have the right to vote in secret. Nobody should be able to vote on behalf of another person. Safeguards to prevent a person from voting again in the same or another polling station should be put in place. Special voting procedures should be applied to enable voters who are unable to attend polling stations to cast their ballot.

3. Violence, harassment, and coercion

Voters should be free from intimidation, harassment, coercion, or violence. No unauthorized person, including members of security forces, agents of political parties or observers, should interfere in the conduct of polling or the exercise of a citizens’ right to vote.

4. Election monitoring

Accredited agents of political parties and candidates, as well as accredited international and domestic observers, should be permitted to observe all polling activities.