International observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Wednesday that Tuesday’s midterm elections in the United States were well managed despite «efforts» to undermine confidence in them.
«The November 8 midterm congressional elections were competitive and professionally managed, with active voter participation,» the OSCE observers said in a joint statement, detailing that many races were highly polarized.
In this regard, the OSCE has stated that the polls were «marred» by «harsh rhetoric,» noting that partisan redistricting has resulted in non-competitive constituencies.
«Efforts to undermine voter confidence in the electoral process by baselessly questioning its integrity can lead to systemic challenges,» the body has warned.
The statement, presented at a press conference in Washington by OSCE Special Coordinator Margareta Cederfelt, has also noted that campaign finance disclosure mechanisms are generally comprehensive, although gaps in the regulatory framework make the impact of money in politics less transparent.
He also criticized the fact that each state adopts and applies its own laws and regulations on electoral matters, as it provides a «complex and diverse» legal framework.
The head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observer delegation, Spaniard Pere Joan Pons, stressed that as a strong and well-established democracy, «it is crucial that the United States continues to improve its electoral system by increasing the right to vote, improving electoral security and combating disinformation».
«The challenges to democracy faced by the United States are common to many OSCE countries and we must all work together to ensure that citizens have confidence in their democratic processes,» added Pons.
Still, harassment, threats and instances of violence against candidates, their families and election officials have been of concern to the OSCE.
In this regard, observers have welcomed congressional efforts to allocate funds for election security, including to counter threats against election administrators, as well as a joint Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation task force that was created to gather information on threats and address them at the federal level.
More than 100 OSCE parliamentarians, supported by about 30 staff members, have been deployed for Election Day observation in the states of California, Virginia, Maryland, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Missouri and the District of Columbia.
This is the ninth OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observation mission to the United States since 2004, and the largest ever deployed.
