WASHINGTON, 6 November 2012 -- The OSCE has concluded its election day observation activity across several key states in the United States where voters cast ballots in today's general election.

Joao Soares (Portugal), the Special Co-ordinator appointed to lead the OSCE observers, will deliver the observation statement on behalf of the OSCE at the official OSCE news conference, which takes place Thursday at The Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies Kenney Auditorium at 1740 Massachusetts Ave., NW in Washington.

Approximately 100 parliamentarians deployed to observe election day activities in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Parliamentarians had no difficulty accessing polling locations in those areas.

The election day observation follows several days of meetings and briefings, during which the parliamentarians heard from leading experts about the U.S. election system, focusing on the campaign activity of parties, candidates and the media; changes to campaign finance laws and practices; as well as the domestic debate over voter identification laws and their impact on the country's ethnic minorities.

Due to the highly-contested nature of Virginia in the national campaign, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both campaigned in Northern Virginia in the final days of the campaign, affording the international observers a chance to witness both presidential campaigns up close, as well.