Atlanta, GA
July 9, 2012
The July 7 elections provided Libyans an historic opportunity to vote
in meaningful national polls for the first time in almost six decades.
The Carter Center was honored to be invited to observe the elections,
and congratulates the Libyan people, the High National Elections
Commission (HNEC), and the National Transitional Council (NTC) for their
dedication and efforts to support Libya’s democratic transition.
The holding of the elections represents a remarkable achievement of
which Libyans are rightly proud. Despite the country’s inexperience with
elections, and the creation of the HNEC only in January 2012, the
election commission effectively conducted the polls in a politically
sensitive and potentially volatile environment. Libyan voters and
polling staff on election day demonstrated dedication and enthusiasm to a
successful democratic transition.
“On behalf of The Carter Center,” said former U.S. President Jimmy
Carter, “I thank the Libyan people and the transitional authorities for
the warm welcome and cooperation extended to our observers during
Saturday’s national elections. We are deeply moved and inspired by the
demonstration of national determination to build a new Libya, free of
tyranny and able to join at last the family of democratic nations in the
quest for freedom, dignity, and justice for all people.”
The tabulation process is complex and will take time to complete.
While tabulation continues, The Carter Center encourages Libyans to be
patient for the HNEC to release preliminary results.
Following an invitation from the HNEC, The Carter Center conducted a
limited election observation mission, accrediting 45 observers from 21
countries and deploying 16 teams of observers on election day. A core
team arrived in May, and was followed by medium- and short-term
observers in June and July to assess electoral preparations and polling
and counting.
Security considerations prevented the deployment of observers in some
areas of the country and restricted their movements in others. The
Center’s assessment is therefore limited in nature and does not offer a
comprehensive assessment of the credibility of Libya’s electoral process
as a whole. The Center shares its findings and analysis with the HNEC
and the public in a spirit of cooperation to enhance the quality of
future elections and in support of a successful democratic transition.
The Center will release a comprehensive report on its electoral
observations and assessments later this year, and looks forward to a
constructive and open dialogue with the Libyan people and the
authorities.
On election day, Carter Center observers visited more than 160
polling stations in 11 of 13 electoral districts, including teams in
Ajdabiya, Al Bayda, Az Zuwiya, Guriyan, Khoms, Benghazi, Sebha, Subrata,
Tobruk, Tripoli, and Zuwara.
The NTC established an ambitious schedule for the elections, which
the HNEC strived to meet. Training and the promulgation of regulations
were affected by the compressed time frame; some training of polling
staff was incomplete and important aspects of the legal framework were
only finalized in the days before the elections.
Despite these challenges, materials were delivered in a timely manner
to nearly all locations. In areas visited by Carter Center observers,
voting was orderly and polling stations were well managed and efficient.
Polling staff appeared well trained and enthusiastically conducted the
elections in a neutral and professional manner.
The commission made extraordinary efforts to conduct polling in all
locations despite security incidents in the immediate election period
and on election day. Attacks on HNEC district headquarters in Benghazi,
Tobruk, Ajdabiya, and on a military helicopter used by HNEC to deliver
election materials, resulted in one death. These incidents, coupled with
attacks against polling stations in Benghazi, Ghemenis, and Ajdabiya on
election day, marred the process in these areas. Nevertheless, the
commission was able to replace damaged materials, and more than 94
percent of polling centers opened the morning of the elections.
Additional centers were opened later and on the following day.
Voters appeared determined to defy these efforts to derail the
elections and to participate by casting their ballots. At polling
centers elsewhere in the country that were visited by Carter Center
observers the atmosphere was calm, with voters patiently queuing and in
many cases celebrating their right to cast ballots.
The rapid growth of domestic observer organizations was encouraging.
Libyan observers monitored the process in 75 percent of the polling
sites visited by Carter Center observers. More than 10,000 political
entity and individual candidate representatives registered to observe
the elections. As the democratic system and political parties mature,
the Center encourages party agents and domestic observers to play a more
effective role in observing elections in order to provide an important
check on polling operations and increase the transparency and
credibility of the vote.
The Center offers the following recommendations to be considered for future elections:
· Consolidate the electoral law to include polling, counting,
and tabulation procedures, as well as all other important aspects of
the legal framework.
· Encourage consensus building of Libya’s diverse population to
ensure an inclusive electoral system and fair representation for all its
citizens.
· Enhance the work of the HNEC and Ministries of Interior and
Defense to coordinate formal election security and develop robust
security plans.
· Develop electoral dispute resolution procedures and judicial
bodies to provide for a timely and effective remedy to challenges and
appeals by voters and candidates.
· In drafting a new constitution and in future elections, allow
adequate time for preparations, deliberation, and public consultation.
· Apply important lessons learned during the General National
Congress elections to future electoral activities and in support of
Libya’s continued democratic development.
These recommendations are elaborated in the Carter Center’s full preliminary statement, available at www.cartercenter.org.
The Carter Center assessment of the electoral process is made against
the interim constitutional declaration, Libya’s election laws and
regulations, and the country’s international commitments regarding
democratic elections and political participation. The Carter Center
received formal accreditation from the HNEC in May 2012 and has been
welcomed by representatives of the NTC, political entities, and civil
society. The Center is nonpartisan and conducts its activities in
accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election
Observation, adopted at the United Nations in 2005.
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