Chapter 3: Complaints Adjudication Training for Election Management Bodies and Political Parties One of the most important objectives of their efforts should be to ensure that all candidates and parties have equal access to the kinds of information and resources they will need to fully understand the process. Preparation of a handbook on the election complaints adjudication processes offers a perfect opportunity to fulfill that objective. Ideally such a book could provide an at-a-glance overview of such information as: • Relevant provisions of the prevailing laws on the subject; • An outline of the processes that need to be followed; • A calendar that identifies the deadlines and time tables involved; • Samples of all the relevant forms and how they are to be completed; • Names, addresses and contact information for the various bodies that play a role in the adjudication of complaints, including EMBs at the Regional, District and Central levels; • Where readers can go for help; and • Other information deemed relevant and helpful. Such a booklet could be issued at any time rather than in the heat of preparations for a specific election. It would also provide an opportunity for EMBs to ensure that uniform information is provided under controlled conditions to all parties equally. Preparing a handbook of this type has some side benefits. It encourages election administrators to put themselves in the parties’ shoes. From this perspective, EMBs can come to sense what issues will become significant to candidates and which procedural details may not be sufficiently clear. Looking at the process from the party’s point of view can also be a useful tool in determining where the system is flawed and where additional training may be warranted. Finally, putting such a handbook together between election cycles allows EMBs to avoid surprises. As potential targets for litigation, the exercise gives EMBs a leg up on preparing for complaints when they do come. 155