Election Audits: International Principles that Protect Election Integrity road. Beginning the audit process under political pressure (with notice of 24 hours according to the political agreement) left little time to develop such guidelines, and one candidate team eventually chose to boycott the audit. Elections in Kosovo and Haiti are similarly instructive. In Kosovo in 2009 and 2010, there were clearly articulated procedures to determine the type of irregularities that would trigger an audit, but the high number of irregularities combined with pressure to produce results in a reasonable time frame required additional human resources to be dedicated to the complicated audit processes. Uniform application of audit and recount procedures was extremely challenging without comprehensive training; in many cases, materials were incorrectly counted or recorded in the initial audit, requiring a repeat of audit procedures. The 2010 audit in Haiti was even more challenging, as it was conducted without a clear procedural framework in place and with non-uniform application of the factors triggering an audit. Following the controversial presidential election, the Haitian government invited the Organization of American States (OAS) to investigate whether irregularities impacted the election results. 56 This mission faced a difficult task without a prior legal mandate and predetermined audit processes and procedures. Ultimately, the mission investigated only a subset of the polling stations based on a statistical model and focused on elements of fraud only, as opposed to both fraud and malpractice. Moreover, the election authority had previously endeavored to conduct an internal audit of election results, but it lacked a method to determine whether or not results protocols from polling stations should be included in the national tally. The major triggers for an audit of a polling station were also adjusted during the audit, causing further challenges with respect to uniformity (the trigger for closer scrutiny of a polling station results form was initially 225 ballots cast in favor of one candidate, but this trigger was changed to 150 ballots). 57 VI. Considerations for Candidate Agents and Observers to an Audit Process In addition to the operational considerations detailed above, planning considerations may influence the participation of external stakeholders. Clearly communicated procedures. It is critically important to have a clearly detailed procedure and checklist for an audit before initiating the process. For the sake of accountability, all stakeholders need a clear and comprehensive understanding of how the audit will be administered. International and domestic observers cannot do their work if there is no point of reference for assessment. Candidate representatives cannot participate effectively if they do not know the rules and regulations governing their participation. Adjudication decisions and changes to the process should be clearly communicated to all stakeholders to reduce confusion and consequent setbacks. Inviting international observers to observe an electoral audit is a best practice in emerging democracies. Allowing international observers contributed significantly to the transparency of Afghanistan’s audit pro- 16