Editing Election monitoring (section)

==Local and regional election monitoring==
Most international observer organizations have a mandate to observe parliamentary elections and some organizations, such as the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] (OSCE), also monitor local elections and referendums.<ref>Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), "[https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/5/e/68439.pdf Election Observation Handbook: Sixth Edition]," OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) (2010).</ref> However, the [[Congress of the Council of Europe]], in cooperation with the [[Venice Commission]], is specifically mandated to monitor local and regional elections and is unique in this regard.<ref>The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, "[https://rm.coe.int/congress-policy-in-observing-local-and-regional-elections-rapporteur-v/1680718b2f Resolution 274: Congress policy in observing local and regional elections]," Council of Europe (2008).</ref> Since 1990, over 50 election processes have been observed by the Congress.

The Congress Strategy on election observation is based on three lines of action:
* Election monitoring by the Congress should contribute to setting up institutional frameworks which comply with the principles underlying local democracy as laid down in the [[European Charter of Local Self-Government]]. In light of this, the Congress puts the accent on post-election dialogue as part of the Congress' work on monitoring of local and regional democracy. The aim is to improve the follow-up given to the recommendations adopted by the Congress following election observation missions and to facilitate their implementation.
* Election monitoring by the Congress should contribute to promoting awareness about the significance of democracy at the local and regional level.
* Making full use of the unique role of the Congress in the field of election observation, efforts are also made to increase the operational capability of election observation missions.