The OAS Secretariat for Political Affairs, through its Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation, along with Elections Canada, held the Sixth Inter-American Meeting of Electoral Management Bodies on June 22-23, 2009, in Ottawa, Canada.
During the meeting, senior election authorities from around the Americas addressed three key issues related to strengthening electoral processes: the role of electoral management bodies between elections, voter registry, and international electoral observation. On these points, they discussed the challenges that electoral bodies face once elections are over, the importance of a reliable electoral roll, and the role of international election observation missions.
The Inter-American Meetings of Electoral Management Bodies seek to promote the effective exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices in electoral administration in the region. In particular, the meetings facilitate horizontal cooperation in efforts to continuously strengthen institutional capacities and further improve electoral systems in the Americas.