By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Voters, poll watchers and the media aren’t the only ones watching the elections closely. There are also hundreds of international observers who have been watching what’s been happening during early voting leading up to and including Election Day on Tuesday.
The U.S.is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Part of that membership includes exchanging teams of election observers among member countries during elections.
Christa Mueller is one of approximately 100 long-term observers from Germany who are tasked with observing elections in three U.S. states: Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
“What we are doing is that we talk to all directly or indirectly involved interlocutors to see, to observe the process of elections.”
Approximately 100 long-term observers have been in the U.S. since Oct. 3.
Mueller said one area they’ll be observing is the media’s role in elections. “Media are very important to us because media are playing a crucial role in the overall election process in all
countries of this world.”
That review isn’t isolated to just traditional media. Mueller said social media is included too.
“Social media are getting more and more important. We try to do some research; we are talking also to students, to different groups, to (non-government organizations) and so on.”
Mueller said the people of Illinois “have been extremely helpful and cooperative and very, very nice to us to help us all the way because we don’t know the state.”
An additional 400 short-term observers will be in the U.S. Tuesday for Election Day.
OSCE expects a presentation of preliminary findings and conclusions about the U.S. elections the day after the election with a final report and recommendations approximately two months later.
