Democracy promotion is now a key component of foreign policy programs around the globe. However, those that partake in these international efforts often complain that they are underworked or underutilized. International workers in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina questioned the necessity and efficacy of their democracy promotion activities, often offering alternative rationals for their presence. Through an examination of the experiences of international election supervisors in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina, Coles reconceptualises the practices and purpose of an international presence. Three modes of presence are analyzed sheer, mere and peer as passive mechanisms of democratic transformation.