Election Observation as a Form of Social Control

This study discusses election monitoring in a broad sense as a form of social control, gives theoretical and international legal bases of observation on election as a form of social control. The study analyzes the legal status of public observers (national and international observers and members of the election commission with the right of advisory vote) and the process of obtaining these statuses (legal procedure for sending an observer to the election commission, candidate or political party which need of an observer search process). The author proposes a number of changes that need to be made to the training of observers in connection with the change in legislation and increased personal responsibility of individual public observer. Finally, the study describes the most significant and distinguishing observational movements and advisory platforms, which are created on the initiative of the movements themselves or the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.