EMB Composition in European Comparison

Abstract

Election management bodies (EMBs) can be classified according to different criteria; their composition is one of them. Most EMB typologies pertain to composition and recruitment at the top, and not at the level of sub-ordinate commissions and polling stations. wahlbeboachtung.org has undertaken preliminary research to compare EMB models in Europe on the basis of OSCE/ODIHR reports. This research illustrates that Austria shares a common model – political parties nominating poll workers – predominantly with countries in its eastern neighbourhood, but also indicates the need to conduct further research into EMB compositions and the correlations between various levels, not the least in the context of ongoing electoral reform debates in Europe.