Ballot boxes © Paul Guerin / International IDEA

ELECTORAL PROCESSES

INITIATIVES

Electoral processes play a central role in democracy, based on the principle that the electoral process is integral to wider political processes and are not just a single technical event. More often than not – and particularly in post-conflict settings – the efforts of the international community have focused excessively on a one-off highly visible electoral event, and not enough on the need to build and consolidate local capacities that will make change sustainable over time.

International IDEA provides support for making electoral administration more professional. It supports the design of professionally managed independent electoral processes which are tailored to local circumstances and engender public confidence in legitimate and credible elections and referendums. International IDEA argues that electoral assistance needs to be reoriented towards building the capacity of national electoral administrations to run credible electoral processes.

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES

Networks:

The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network provides comprehensive and authoritative information on elections, promotes networking among election-related professionals and offers capacity development services. An integral part of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network is the Practitioners’ Network, which was established in February 2007. The Network brings together experts from all regions of the world who are able to answer thematic and regional questions and engage in online discussions.

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Global Electoral Organization (GEO) Network is a forum for all international bodies to meet and exchange knowledge and experiences, as well as discuss challenges and explore future innovations and visions. International IDEA will host the next GEO with the Electoral Commissions Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC ECF) in the winter of 2009.

Handbooks and publications:

International IDEA has published a number of publications on electoral issues, including Handbooks on Electoral System Design, Electoral Management Design, External Voting and Direct Democracy. An upcoming publication is a Handbook on Electoral Justice. (see full list of existing publications).

Databases and websites:

International IDEA’s Voter Turnout database is the most comprehensive global collection of political participation statistics available. It contains voter turnout figures on a country basis for national presidential and parliamentary elections since 1945. The Electoral System Design website compiles International IDEA’s knowledge of electoral systems around the world.

Capacity Development Tools:

BRIDGE (Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections) is a course on electoral processes, designed to improve the skills, knowledge and confidence of election administrators. BRIDGE is widely recognized as the most comprehensive training curriculum of its kind in the world and has been conducted in various countries within Africa, Asia Pacific, the Arab World, Latin America and Eastern Europe. A new expanded version of BRIDGE - BRIDGE 2 - has been developed and was successfully launched in New York in April 2008.

International IDEA is working with the UN Development Programme and European Commission on making electoral assistance more effective. To this effect, International IDEA has released a policy recommendation paper on effective electoral assistance. and offers courses for bilateral development agencies
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Effective Electoral Assistance Courses are being conducted twice a year in various regions throughout the world. Participants are Electoral Management Bodies, assistance providers, UNDP Country Officers, European Commission delegation staff and Bi-lateral Development Agencies.

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In October 2005, the Global Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers was adopted by the United Nations. International IDEA contributed from the beginning to the several years of work that led to the Declaration and the Code. Along with partner organizations, International IDEA is in the process of developing a global declaration of principles for global electoral assistance.
International IDEA is working with partner organizations on developing an electoral assessment methodology which aims to help EMBs and assistance providers review electoral systems, institutions and processes thereby identifying areas for assistance. This methodology will inform advisory services in an integrated way.