The timing of challenges related to the nomination or registration of electoral contestants Unique to the timing of disputes related to the nomination and registration of electoral contestants is that all the disputes should preferably have been raised and resolved before the elections take place. However, in some countries such complaints are only processed in the form of a general election petition after the elections have been administered. In order to collect this level of detail, the EJD divided its data collection into two parts: 1. The maximum amount of time after occurrence or discovery that a complaint can be made (Figure 4.6A). In this case, the time period for the submission of a complaint should begin from the announcement (or rejection) of nomination or registration of contestants; and 2. The maximum amount of time after the announcement of the election results that a complaint can be made (Figure 4.6B.). Since only 20 per cent of countries allow such timing of complaints, Figure 4.6B does not provide the actual details of time limits. Instead it only gives information about the existence or non-existence of such limits. Details of time limits for those 20 per cent countries can be seen in the online database. The findings show that 72 per cent of countries provide for time limits for complaints after the announcement of a decision about the nomination or registration of electoral contestants. The maximum number of days allowed for the submission of nomination- or registration-related complaints ranges from 1 to 40 days, but the most common is 2–5 days. The legislation of 8 per cent of countries does not allow such complaints but stipulates that all such challenges should be submitted after the announcement of the results (see the case of Botswana discussed above). Nomination- or registration-related complaints can be submitted after the announcement of results in only 20 per cent of countries. In addition to the 8 per cent identified in Figure 4.6A, a further 8 per cent of countries have provisions that allow complaints to be submitted both before and after, and some countries do not specify a time limit after occurrence or discovery but do specify that complaints should be made after the announcement of results. More details about these countries and data about the actual timing of complaints after the announcement of results can be found in the online database. 35