Electoral Management

Electoral management bodies (EMBs) are the formal organizations responsible for organizing and implementing elections within a jurisdiction. From registering candidates and voters to conducting the polling and vote count, EMBs fulfill a variety of central functions to assure the integrity of elections. However, the structure and performance of EMBs around the globe varies. These variations are, in part, based on key factors such as the independence, centralization, and capacity of electoral authorities, as well as their relationships with other actors. This chapter defines the concept of electoral management and outlines the variety of bodies involved in these processes. It outlines the key differences between EMBs around the world, including de jure and de facto independence, centralization, and capacity. Finally, it considers how electoral integrity is impacted by the work of EMBs.