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<<previous | index | next>> Election CommissionsElection commissions are responsible for the administration of the elections and, among other things, are responsible for preparing voter lists, providing voter cards, registration of candidates and observers, counting votes, and publishing the voting results.For the most part, election commission members, some of whom were implicated in fraud in the 2003 election, remain the same as in 2003.19 The ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP), which is headed by President Ilham Aliev, dominates the election commissions. It nominates the chairpersons of the election commissions at all levels and holds a majority on every commission.20 Although election commissions receive complaints with credible allegations regarding breaches of the election code, the OSCE has found that to date the Central Election Commission and the Constituency Election Commissions “have decided in favor of the complainant in very few decisions in cases in which a candidate has complained of campaign violations or interference from local executive bodies.”21 [19] Human Rights Watch interview with two international election observers, Baku, August 30, 2005. [20] There are three levels of electoral commission, the Central Election Commission, the constituency election commissions, and the precinct election commissions. OSCE/ODIHR, Election Observation Mission, Republic of Azerbaijan − Parliamentary Elections 2005, Interim Report No. 2 (24 September−7 October). [21] OSCE/ODIHR, Election Observation Mission, Republic of Azerbaijan – Parliamentary Elections 2005, Interim Report No. 2 (24 September–7 October
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