The Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Office was pleased to welcome two Long-Term European Observers from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights on October 16th, 2024. 

Eva Bergman of Sweeden and Marko Mannila of Finland toured our office and reviewed our Election Division operations as part of their international observation of the November 2024 Presidential Election. They met with Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman, Tazewell County Chief Deputy Clerk Dan Sullivan, and Tazewell County Election Division Supervisor Vanessa Reynolds during their visit.

Earlier that week they visited the Illinois State Board of Elections and then the Sangamon County Clerk’s Office. From there they went on to visit Chicago. As for this mission, 64 international long-term observers have been deployed into 48 states all over the United States.

“The Office for Democratic Institutions And Human Rights (ODIHR) carries out election observation in Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe participating States to assess the extent to which elections respect fundamental freedoms and are characterized by equality, universality, political pluralism, confidence, transparency, and accountability. A long-term, comprehensive, consistent, and systematic election observation methodology has become the bedrock of ODIHR’s credibility in this field. The Office also supports authorities in their efforts to improve electoral processes and to follow up on recommendations by ODIHR election observation missions by reviewing election-related legislation, providing technical expertise, and supporting the activities of citizen observer groups.”

This is the second time in recent years our office has received an international delegation visit. In October of 2022, Vafa Fati-Zada from Azerbaijan and Gunther Guggenberger from Austria toured our office during their visit representing the Organization For Security And Cooperation In Europe.