The district council elections in December 2002 not only served to elect the local council members, but also determined which three political associations would gain enough popular support to be able to nominate presidential candidates. The elections also acted as a test for the newly founded Somaliland Electoral Commission (SEC). The SEC had been established in December 2001 through a series of Electoral Laws composed of 66 articles, setting the rules, regulations, and expected conduct for democratic elections moving forward. To help the SEC with the elections, the European Commission sent technical consultants, funded voter education and trained election workers and NGOs to assist wth the local elections, despite Somaliland's lack of international recognition.