Estonia
Model of electoral management
Independent
Comment
Both the National Electoral Committee and State Electoral Office are independent bodies.
Source
Riigikogu (Parliament) Election Act (2002, amended 2017)
§ 9. Competence of National Electoral Committee
(1) The function of the National Electoral Committee is ensure compliance with the principles provided for in §1 of this Act, to ascertain the voting results and election results across the whole country, to exercise supervision over the activities of the elections managers, to settle complaints and to perform other functions arising from law.
(2) For the performance of their functions, the National Electoral Committee has the right:
1) to issue precept to the elections manager for the protection of the principles provided for in § 1 of this Act or ensuring the subjective rights of a person;
2) to annul the votes cast in the advance voting partially or in full due to material violation of the law and call on the voters to vote again during advance voting or on election day;
3) to declare the voting results in a voting district, rural municipality, city, electoral district or the state invalid or to declare the electronic voting results invalid in full or partially and to hold a repeat vote if the violation significantly affected or could have significantly affected the voting results;
[RT I, 04.07.2017, 1 - entry into force 01.01.2018]
4) not to start electronic voting or to terminate electronic voting if the security or reliability of the electronic voting system cannot be insured in such way that electronic voting could be conducted pursuant to the requirements of this Act; […]
§ 14. State Electoral Office (1) The State Electoral Office is the structural unit of the Chancellery of the Riigikogu, which is independent in the performance of the functions arising from this Act, the European Parliament Election Act, the Local Government Council Election Act and the Referendum Act.
§ 15. Competence of State Electoral Office (1) The function of the State Electoral Office is: 1) to ensure the holding of the elections in accordance with law, to organise electronic voting and ascertain the results of electronic voting; 2) to exercise supervision over the activities of the elections managers; 3) to organise the development and management of the technical solutions necessary for the performance of the duties arising from the electoral acts; 4) to perform other duties arising from this Act.
Electoral Management Bodies
Name of EMB | Number of EMB members | Term of office | EMB members selected by | Chair appointed/elected by | Party or expert based membership |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Electoral Committee | 7 | 4 years | Supreme Court, the Chancellor of Justice, Auditor General, Chief Public Prosecutor, State Secretary, and Board of Auditors | EMB | Expert |
State Electoral Office | 11 | Not specified | Secretary General of the Riigikogu upon the proposal of the Head of the State Electoral Office | Secretary General of the Riigikogu upon approval of the National Electoral Committee | Expert |