Election monitoring is the observing of an election by non-partisan, usually international observers. The main purpose of election monitoring is to ensure an election process is fair. Monitors can do little to prevent abuses, but they can ensure such abuses are made public. Criticisms by monitors can remove an election's legitimacy, but only if the observers are themselves considered unbiased. To add to a monitoring missions respect notable figures are often appointed honourary leaders, in the expectation will add to the monitors commission's legitimacy.

The United Nations is the foremost election monitoring organization. The UN Electoral Assistance Division maintains a permanent staff of monitors and election experts who travel around the world. Other international organizations such as the European Union and African Union also have monitoring teams. Individual governments also participate in monitoring efforts, generally under the umbrella of an international organization. These national efforts are normally managed by the local electoral commission. A wide array of NGOs also participate in monitoring efforts.

The monitoring itself takes many forms. Even the most closely scrutinized elections have only a small number of observers. These observers are generally concentrated in areas that may be subject to problems making surprise visits to polling stations with cameras and recording devices. Foreign observers rarely speak the language or understand the culture of the country where the election is being monitored. The vast majority of election monitoring thus relies on locals. Most domestic observers tend to be partisans looking out for the interests of their party and it is a challenge for international observers to parse the information they receive from these sources.

The first monitored election was that of a plebiscite Moldavia and Wallachia that was monitored by most of the major European powers. Election monitoring was uncommon until after the Second World War.

The elections that are seen to be monitored are normally in countries where the democracy is seen as somewhat unstable and where there is a perceived threat that the election might be stolen. A team of monitors observed the 2004 United States election, after concerns of voter inaccuracy in the 2000 U.S. election.

External links:

• Election monitoring
• UN Electoral Assistance Division