International Foundation for Electoral Systems funding levels for local courts across the country, with some receiving adequate funding and others receiving funding so insufficient that they do not even have an office. In the Philippines, the law and rules of procedure contain clear deadlines for filing cases. Though there is variation, post-election complaints must generally be filed within 10 days of the election.94 Filing deadlines are strictly adhered to; failing to meet a filing deadline is grounds for summary dismissal of the case. Deadlines for rendering a decision range between six hours in cases relating to corrections of the voter list95 to three months for all election cases received by COMELEC.96 In practice, these deadlines are not always met, particularly in complex post-election challenges, which can take as long as two years to proceed through each stage of preliminary conference, presentation of evidence, preliminary order, preliminary recount, preliminary determination, full recount and final resolution. Conversations are ongoing within COMELEC regarding ways to improve efficiency, notably through the new case management software which is designed to organize and expedite access to case information. Timelines for the resolution of electoral disputes in Kosovo are extremely tight. For example, Central Election Commission (CEC) decisions must be appealed to the ECAP within 24 hours of the CEC’s decision, and the ECAP has 72 hours to make a decision.97 According to interlocutors, complaints “go by order” to the data entry clerk (rather than being randomized or prioritized in terms of the gravity of the complaint). Then, the legal officer assigns the complaints to one of 79 categories based on their nature and relevant phase of the electoral process. Stakeholders have called for better sorting procedures.98 Deadlines in Macedonia are similarly tight. For example, complaints filed by a party representative regarding voting, tabulation, or the establishment of results, must be submitted within 48 hours of the termination of voting or following the announcement of preliminary results. An individual voter alleging a violation of their rights has only 24 hours to file a complaint from the moment the violation is alleged to have occurred.99 Legal deadlines for State Election Commission (SEC) decisions are also extremely short – requiring a decision within 48 hours of receiving a complaint.100 International organizations such as the Venice Commission and the Organization for Social and Economic Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) have praised the shorter deadlines as providing “for more effective legal redress,”101 but in reality cases are not adjudicated within the relevant legal deadlines or are summarily dismissed. During the 2016 parliamentary elections, 470 complaints were submitted to the SEC regarding voter roll issues; the SEC reviewed 355 complaints by the end of polling day and rejected them all.102 The Macedonia and Philippines examples illustrate how 94 Omnibus Electoral Law Article XXI Sections 250, 251, 252, 253 Omnibus Electoral Law Article XII Section 143(g) 96 Omnibus Electoral Law Article XX1 Section 257 97 Law No. 03/L-256 On Amending and Supplementing the Law No. 03/L-073 on General Elections in the Republic of Kosovo, art. 15, Nov. 01, 2010, http://www.kuvendikosoves.org/common/docs/ligjet/2010-256-eng.pdf. 98 IFES, Training Needs Assessment for Election Complaints and Appeal Panel 7 (2016). 99 Rulebook on the Manner and Procedure for Deciding upon Complaints art. 7-9 (Maced.). 100 This timeframe applies to complaints relating to voting procedures and vote counting, complaints relating to campaign financing. 101 OSCE/ODIHR, OPINION NO. 851/ 2016, Joint Opinion on the Electoral Code § 57 (2016). 102 OSCE/ODIHR, Election Observation Mission Final Report 22 (2017). 95 30