325. It usually appears advisable for individual members of the EDRB to
avoid interviews with the press. Any imprecision or apparent contradiction
may give rise to problems that go beyond the need to explain the scope or
meaning of a ruling. If it is essential to give interviews, it may be desirable to
limit them to a single person or electoral staff member officially designated by
the EDRB, whose remit is to limit any remarks to stating and explaining the
legal reasons upheld by the majority.
326. Once a matter is resolved by an EDRB, the reasons that prevailed and
matter in terms of being explained to society right away are those of the
majority. This is entirely independent of the right of the members of the EDRB
who are in the minority to formulate a dissenting view which is included in
the judgement and may be disseminated later, for example, in a specialized
or academic journal. Extensive debate over points of disagreement during the
session of the EDRB is essential in order to clarify and refine the thinking of
the members in reaching a judgement. However, once the EDRB reaches its
decision it is preferable not to address the issue again publicly, unless another
case is heard that makes this unavoidable. Few things weaken an EDRB
more than publicly airing differences among its members without reference
to a specific case. Moreover, the message sent to society, if this happens, is
confusing, contradictory, and vulnerable to political manipulation.
327. The vocation of service, a commitment to professional excellence, and
dedication to electoral justice and democratic values all contribute to the
credibility and prestige of an EDRB. Its internal and external activities
should reflect the pluralistic composition of society and gender balance, as
well as promoting equality and equity on a non-partisan basis. Its operation
should be inclusive, adopting a gender perspective and reflecting ethnic
diversity.
328. Reporting in a timely fashion on the volume and quality of the work
carried out, including the scrupulous and transparent administration of
public resources, creates incentives for the members of the top-level organ and
all its personnel to offer an electoral justice service of the highest quality. It
also establishes standards for the other groups involved in elections, including
national and international observers, the academic sector and the media, to
follow in order to emulate its performance.
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6. Principles and guarantees of EDR systems
should not only be included in the judgement or decision: in particularly
high-profile or sensitive cases it could be considered good practice for them
to be disseminated in a communiqué or a press release. There is a difficult
balance to be achieved here which requires technical skill in ensuring
both that the position taken in the judgement is not distorted and that the
technical content of the judgement is accessible to and comprehensible by
broad sections of society.