Figure 4.1 models the entire EDR process for dealing with challenges related to candidate/party registration or nominations for elections. Naturally, most nomination- or registration-related disputes are raised well before the elections. However, as noted above, some of these challenges can be raised after the administration of elections. Therefore, the dotted lines in the figure pass through the election day. Electoral dispute-resolution bodies dealing with disputes related to the nomination and registration of electoral contestants Figure 4.2 shows the types of first- and last-instance bodies that deal with nomination- or registration-related disputes in 155 countries.4 The lines show the route of the complaints from first instance to last instance, or indicate where there is only one level of adjudication. Figures 3.2 and 4.2 show a similar proportion of types of first- and lastinstance EDR bodies. This indicates that EDR procedures for disputes related to election results and disputes related to the nomination and registration of candidates and political parties are handled in a similar way. The only difference is the involvement of the constitutional court or council in the last instance. The constitutional court or council is the last-instance body in the case of disputes related to elections results in 13 countries, while in the case of disputes related to the nomination and registration of candidates and political parties they are the lastinstance body in only four countries. Since there are more than two levels of adjudication for electoral disputes in some countries, Figure 4.2 is a somewhat simplified representation of reality. In six per cent of countries, there is one additional instance between the first- and last-instance bodies (Figure 4.3). The EJD does not provide data on intermediary levels of adjudication, but does provide data on the total number of days the entire EDR process takes (see Figure 4.10). Who can challenge the nomination and registration of electoral contestants? As noted above, the question of who should be entitled to submit complaints or challenges about electoral irregularities is an important one. When it comes to the nomination or registration of electoral contestants, in addition to candidates and political parties themselves, the law should allow other stakeholders to have their voices heard on the question of who can run for elected office. 4 Gambia, Germany and Uganda are not included because they have complex legislation on EDR, which provides for several last-instance bodies depending on the type of dispute. 31