AEGEE Election Observation invites young people (aged between 18 and 35 years old), from all over Europe to apply as Local Coordinators for our upcoming Election Observation Mission to the European Parliament elections. The elections will take place on different days in different EU member states between 23 and 26 May 2019.
To support the deployment of the AEGEE Election Observation Mission in the observed European countries. Applicants from Ireland, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Denmark, Croatia, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria, who are familiar with the country and its language, and are interested in the topics of youth participation and election observation, are invited to join the mission as Local Coordinators.
The Mission specifically assesses the conditions under which young people participate in the electoral process. Our election observation methodology is generally inspired by the one applied by OSCE/ODIHR and the European Union. However, building on the added value of AEGEE Election Observation, which is its experience in youth issues, our research, observation and assessment focus on the participation of youth in the process, analysing the conditions for young people to engage in the Elections as voters, candidates, party members, actors in civic advocacy and campaigning, journalists, election administration or support staff, and observers.
On Election Day(s), the Mission will deploy its observers in several countries of the EU to witness opening, voting and counting procedures. The findings of the mission will be compiled into a report to be published after deployment and distributed amongst relevant authorities. Moreover, the Mission will provide policy advice to stakeholders by giving recommendations on the best possible way to promote and foster youth participation. The observation of elections by independent observers contributes to the transparency of the process and is a valuable instrument of democratic oversight.
Tasks
Local Coordinators are appointed to support the mission in the following aspects:
- Interpretation – help observers communicate with electoral staff, voters, and candidates on Election Day;
- Social media monitoring – help observers monitor social media of youth candidates following our methodology ;
- Orientation – support with input on the local context;
- Accreditation – where necessary, the local coordinator will get accreditation material in the capital a few days before the Election Day.
Full availability for the election day in the capital city is necessary, so that Local Coordinators can meet with observers and assist them with interpretation.
Requirements
In order to become a Local Coordinator for the AEGEE Election Observation Mission, the following criteria must be fulfilled:
- be between 18 and 35 years old;
- have a sound command of both English and the local language;
- have a solid knowledge of the country and especially of the local environment in which the applicant is based.
Application Procedure
Please fill in this application form. The application deadline is 14 May, at 23:59 CET.
For any questions related to application procedures or conditions of appointment, please contact aeo.ep.mission@gmail.com or Noemi Arcidiacono at noemi.arcidiacono@aegee.org.