Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation
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DECO

DECO and its Achievements

The Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO / OAS) is the entity within the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy in charge of developing and maintaining a permanent and professional service of observation and technical electoral cooperation for member countries, grounded on efforts for continuous improvement and the consolidation of related procedures and practices.

Since 1962, the OAS has observed more than 246 elections* in more than 27 countries of the 34 member states of the OAS, deploying more than 10,000 international observers.

In 2016, DECO deployed for the first time in the OAS’s history an Electoral Observation Mission in the United States.

For the first time in more than 50 years of electoral observation, on October 25, 2015, DECO deployed three EOMs with more than 230 observers on the same day in three sub-regions of the continent: Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

The publication of a Methodology to observe the electoral participation of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples in electoral processes, which was first implemented in the EOM for the General Elections of Guatemala on September 6, 2015.

Crosscutting incorporation of a gender approach, resulting in an increase in the participation of women in MOEs.

Implementation of 25 technical cooperation projects in 11 countries of the region, including 5 audits of electoral registries in Latin America.

Increase in the number of women as Heads of Electoral Observation Missions.

Development of the First ISO International Electoral Standard (17582).


* As of the Electoral Observation Mission deployed in Ecuador for the second presidential round held on April 2, 2017.

Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation

1889 F St., N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20006
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 370-4526
Fax: (202) 458-6250