Openness and Transparency of the Electoral Process: Practices of Civil Society’s Involvement in Independent Election Observation

More than 60 countries are holding presidential and parliamentary elections in 2024. Over 2 billion voters will take part in them. In Russia, the most important sociopolitical event took place in March 2024, when the prospects for the country’s further development were determined with the election of the Russian president. Public observers played a key role in ensuring the openness and transparency of the electoral process and have formed a highly professional community over the six years since they were institutionalized. Public control over electoral processes is an effective tool for ensuring that people are able to lawfully express their will, preventing illegal forms of participation in electoral processes, and developing an active civic position in Russian society. As international observations of election voting become politicized with the use of arbitrary criteria for their assessment, independent public observers who work in accordance with national legislation based on a standardized observation procedure are playing a greater role. International observers highly value the ‘gold standard’ of public observation used in Russia as a tool for ensuring the openness and transparency of the electoral process. What kind of experience do Russia and other countries have in terms of civil society institutions participating in the public observation of electoral processes? What is the legal community’s role in providing expert support for elections and advising citizens on electoral issues?