(cont.) c. regarding periodicals distributed nationally, news agencies or nationwide provision of programmes, by the National Election Committee. If the election committee finds the accused party guilty, it can, in addition to the general legal consequences, order the editorial staff of the periodical, the programme provider or the news agency to publish its decision or the operative clause thereof within three days (in the case of daily newspapers and news agencies), in the next issue (for periodicals), and (in the case of programme providers) within three days, at the same time of day and on as many occasions and as many times as the announcement violating the law was broadcast. b) Actions that can be challenged classified by the moment when the challenge is brought 428. In general, electoral challenges may come up during any period of the electoral cycle (see chapter 2, section 3). i) Challenges during the pre-electoral period 429. Before an election process begins, it is common for challenges to be filed related to the updating of the electoral registers, the registration of new political parties, or the delimitation of the electoral districts (the electoral geography). In addition, challenges may arise related to the internal democracy of political parties, and to the financing and oversight of the sources of political party funds and of regular expenditures. The electoral register and voter registration cards 430. The electoral register is a fundamental instrument of representative democracy. It helps to give meaning to the legal and political principle expressed in the phrase ‘one person one vote’ in that it is designed to produce an accurate, verifiable, up-to-date and reliable public census of the persons who fall into the category of ‘electors’ and who are not in any way disqualified from exercising their right to vote. 431. Identifying and registering electors is a procedure that results from an action or decision of the EMB or other responsible authority. The register makes it possible to demonstrate one’s status as an elector on election day, through the production of a voter registration card, where applicable, and inclusion on the electoral register. The register is a database with the names of and basic electoral information about all those who could potentially exercise their right to vote on election day. One of the principal foundations of representative democracy 148