STAGES OF THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS The investigation process represents just one step in the broader election dispute resolution (EDR) process. Each step of this broader process is important for the effectiveness of the system and the overall outcome. This EDR process is illustrated in the figure below. Figure 1: Basic scheme of an election dispute resolution process: 1 8 Electoral activity occurs (e.g., voter registration, campaign, Election Day) 2 Enforcement 7 Allegation submitted or suo motu decision made by the body responsible for investigating Final decision and order 3 Processing / intake, according to procedure 6 Right to appeal initial decision 4 Investigation and adjudication / prosecution of allegation 5 Initial decision and order by authorized EDR body According to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Investigation Guidelines, the investigative process contains three parts: assessment, investigation, and reporting.6 These three stages offer a helpful framework for conducting a thorough investigation. First, an assessment involves evaluating initial information to determine whether further investigation is warranted—equivalent to the triage process introduced above. Second, the investigation itself encompasses “the process of planning and conducting appropriate lines of inquiry to obtain the evi6 See U.N. Dev. Programme Office of Audit & Investigations, Investigation Guidelines ¶ 8 (2012), http://www.undp.org/ content/dam‌/undp/documents/about/transparencydocs/OAI_Investigations_Guidelines.pdf [hereinafter UNDP Investigation Guidelines 2012]. 23