NDI - Elections

Civic Network OPORA Local Election Monitoring Highlights

rrunyan — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:16:41 +0000

Author:

OPORA

Publisher:

OPORA

Published Date:

10/15/2010

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

English

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In Jordan, Al-Hayat Addresses Youth Apathy in Political Process

fstovall — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:24:40 +0000

To encourage young Jordanians to participate in politics, the Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development has launched a campaign focused on engaging and registering young voters for Nov. 9 parliamentary elections. The campaign is based in part on the findings of a survey conducted by Al-Hayat, in partnership with NDI, designed to uncover young people's attitudes toward political involvement and specifically their experiences in the previous election in 2007.

More than 65 percent of Jordanians are under the age of 30, and 43 percent of potential voters are 18 to 25. Those demographics carry the potential for accelerated political reform, provided the country's young people, who have historically been excluded from the political process, decide to make their voices heard.

The survey sampled 2,100 Jordanians between the ages of 18 and 30 from the country's 12 governorates. The participants also represented a cross section of education levels, marital statuses, professional sectors and sexes. The survey asked questions about difficulties encountered at polling stations, efficacy of campaign literature and advertisements, and respondents' overall confidence in the role of parliament. It also asked the young people to estimate their anticipated level of participation in the upcoming elections.

jordanelection.com

The results of Al-Hayat's survey are available publicly through a user-friendly website, www.jordanelection.com, where activists, researchers, candidates and policymakers can track trends in specific youth subgroups, particularly first-time voters. For instance, the survey showed that young people strongly support domestic election monitoring, which is useful information for activists pressing the government to allow civil society organizations to observe the election process.

To help visualize results and make better connections across regions, the findings are displayed on a colorful interactive map divided into national, regional and governorate levels. The data can also be explored by gender, age and education level, giving the user detailed demographic information. The website's simple design combined with its in-depth presentation of the survey data is a powerful tool for designing a variety of election-related youth programs.

The results revealed a number of concerns over previous elections and how future polls will be conducted. For example, participants said that during the 2007 elections they faced overcrowded polling centers and witnessed vote-buying and other violations. For this year's elections, respondents expressed a continued lack of confidence in parliament and said they do not have information on how Jordan's recently-amended electoral law might affect procedures for the November polls.

Using the survey results, Al-Hayat tailored its campaign to address those issues of particular concern in hopes that it would encourage young people to participate. In cooperation with local authorities and civil society organizations Al-Hayat has been holding roundtables where its staff and volunteers engage directly with young Jordanians, answering questions about registration and the new electoral law and encouraging youth to participate in the political process. More than 800 young people have participated in these events so far, and Al-Hayat will hold them throughout the summer.

Al-Hayat has also created a series of posters and videos promoting the importance of youth participation, and encouraging young voters to register and research candidate platforms before voting. These videos are listed as "most viewed" on the increasingly popular Jordanian website 3alarasi, which carries short videos and caricatures on current social and political matters.

Related:

Pictured above: One of three posters produced for Al-Hayat's voter participation campaign. The Arabic reads: "'Shall I participate... Shall I not participate...' Building a prosperous future does not depend on luck; build your own future and participate in the parliamentary elections. Participate."

Published on August 19, 2010

NDI-USIP Afghanistan Mission Report

jfrant — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 18:24:56 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute; U.S. Institute of Peace

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/22/2016

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) have released this report on Afghanistan political and election reform developments based on a mission they conducted in Kabul last month. Recently, the National Unity Government passed a new election law and appointed new election commissions. Now the government is considering when and how to conduct overdue parliamentary elections.

The report features observations on the National Unity Government two years since its establishment, the country’s present political environment, and the ongoing electoral reform process – including the current discourse on electoral systems, electoral constituencies, and their effect on political competition. The report also includes recommendations to support the electoral reform process, particularly during the new election commission’s ongoing assessment of electoral constituencies and development of election plans.

The report is informed by meetings with much of Afghanistan’s political leadership, including President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai, heads of political parties as well as civil society representatives, women activists, youth groups, media, and members of the international community in Afghanistan.

The mission’s delegation included Dr. Karin von Hippel, director-general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI); Peter Manikas, NDI senior associate and regional director for Asia; Scott Worden, USIP director for Afghanistan and Central Asia programs; and Raissa Tatad-Hazell, NDI deputy regional director for Asia.

English

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With All Eyes on Ghana, NDI Observers Applaud the Country’s Peaceful Elections

erodriguez — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 15:16:43 +0000

In early December, 30 delegates from 14 countries and four continents began arriving in Accra, Ghana for NDI’s international election observation mission. Experts had warned that the December 7, 2016 election, much like the 2012 election, would likely be very close. But this time there were fears of violence and low confidence in the country’s electoral institutions and staunchly partisan political actors.

According the NDI’s observation mission preliminary statement: “The December 7 polls highlighted the strong and enthusiastic commitment of Ghanaians to their democratic institutions and processes and reaffirmed Ghana’s democratic trajectory and recent history.”

“As the last African country to hold national elections of 2016, all eyes are on Ghana,” said Dr. Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa at NDI and one of the delegation leaders. “We hope that the voices of citizens will be heard, as Ghanaians deserve nothing short of meaningful and peaceful polls.”

A polling agent greets NDI observers in the morning as he prepares to open his polling station in Accra.

In addition to Dr. Fomunyoh, the delegation’s other leaders included Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court and Mr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

The observers represented a very diverse group of political and civic leaders, elections experts and regional specialists. The delegation was comprised of approximately 50 percent women and gender and women’s participation was a major focus of the observation mission.

During their stay in Ghana, the observers participated in briefings on Ghanaian political and electoral processes from Ghanaian experts, political leaders, election administrators, representatives of civil society, as well as NDI staff. Delegates deployed in two-person teams to regional capitals across Ghana to meet with election administrators, parliamentary candidates, domestic observer groups and political and civic activists in these localities. On election day, observers visited polling sites in their area of deployment to watch the voting, tabulation of results and other aspects of electoral proceedings.

At the same time, NDI partnered with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) who employed a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) to independently verify the accuracy of the presidential election results as declared by the Electoral Commission (EC). CODEO deployed about 8,000 Ghanaians as trained, accredited, non-partisan observers, of which 1,500 were dedicated PVT rapid response observers. Their PVT results closely matched the EC results.

Despite initial concerns, the Ghanaian elections proceeded peacefully and fairly. In their preliminary statement, the NDI observers commended the Electoral Commission for its notable improvements since the 2012 polls and expressed appreciation for the efforts of other election stakeholders. In particular, the delegates praised all the presidential candidates for signing the December 1 Accra Declaration, which expressed each political party’s commitment to peaceful polls. Read the mission’s full statement here.

Ghanaian voters queue to cast their vote for president and parliament as security and polling officials stand watch in order to ensure an orderly process.

“The NDI delegation applauds the people of Ghana for the largely peaceful conduct of these elections, despite earlier apprehensions of political tensions and violence,” said Ambassador Johnnie Carson, co-leader of NDI’s observation mission. “Ghana has underscored its status as a beacon for democracy in the region and, though not without challenges, remains a laudable example for the entire continent.”

NDI’s election observation for the December 7 elections included two pre-election assessment missions in August and October 2016. The delegation conducted its activities in accordance with Ghanaian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, and collaborated with other international observer missions that endorse the Declaration.

NDI’s international election observation mission in Ghana was funded by a grant from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State. The Institute’s pre-election missions were funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Published on December 29, 2016

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE'S INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER MISSION TO GHANA’S DECEMBER 7 PRESIDENTIAL AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

emalina — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 21:12:57 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/27/2016

Resource Type:

International Observation Preliminary Statement

Language:

English

This preliminary statement is offered by the international observer delegation fielded by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative elections. The 30person delegation with members from 14 countries was coled by: Johnnie Carson, senior advisor to the president of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), member of the NDI board of directors, and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs; Yvonne Mokgoro, board chair of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa; Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of electoral programs at NDI; and Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate for Africa and regional director at NDI. Through this delegation, NDI seeks to: demonstrate the international community’s interest in and support for credible and peaceful elections in Ghana; provide an accurate and impartial report on the election process to date; and offer recommendations to improve future electoral processes.

English

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West African Leaders Develop Principles for Effective Democratic Executive Branch Transfers of Power

jfrant — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:18:42 +0000

Cabo Verde media covered the conference for both radio and television.

Leaders from across West Africa met in Cabo Verde last month to discuss regional guidelines for democratic handovers of power after democratic elections. The November 21-22 gathering represented a significant and timely effort to begin developing international norms and standards around executive branch transitions.

NDI partnered with the Cabo Verde government to host more than 15 current and former government officials from eleven countries, including former Presidents Amos Sawyer of Liberia, Catherine Samba-Panza of Central African Republic and Pedro Pires of Cabo Verde. Representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal also participated in the two day conference, along with several international experts on executive transitions. Meetings focused on how to build upon good practices in political transitions throughout the region.

“The focus of this conference is so germane to the situations in African countries, particularly to Liberia -- one country that stands in anticipation of its first peaceful transition of power from an outgoing active administration to a newly elected and incoming one next year,” said Anthony Kesselly, who serves in the Office of the Vice President of Liberia.

While there are international standards for assessing the quality of the election process, from the campaign period until election day, an international framework for evaluating or improving the transition process does not exist. Political transitions are difficult, especially if the roles and responsibilities of the incoming and outgoing administrations are unclear. Uncertainty presents a host of potential triggers for conflict and dispute, diverting very limited human resources from the task of governing, during a period when expectations for citizens may be particularly high.

“We have to move away from the norm of ‘Who wins, wins everything and who loses, loses everything,’” said Pedro Pires, former President of Cabo Verde.

The participants brought a wealth of experience to the table for what is the first step in a longer process of developing internationally recognized standards around democratic transitions of the executive branch. They presented on specific topics of expertise, covering the mechanics and processes involved in areas such as: the legal and regulatory framework, governing executive branch handovers of power; approaches to engaging other branches of government on policy priorities such as economic stability and national security; inclusion and diversity in a new administration; and strategic communications, particularly for the first 100 days in office.

Pictured from left: Animata Malle-Sanogo, former president of the ECOWAS Court of Justice; Amos Sawyer, former President of Liberia; Pedro Pires, former President and Prime Minister of Cabo Verde; Catherine Samba-Panza, former President of the Central African Republic; and Jose Maria Pereira Neves, former Prime Minister of Cabo Verde.

The conference came at a time when there is particular interest in the ongoing executive branch transition in the US. NDI support for executive branch transitions is an important and growing element of Institute programing of NDI support for executive branch transitions --- both through the development of adequate legal and procedural frameworks for executive transitions and specific "transition team" assistance to potential incoming administrations.

“We live at a time where citizen demands of their government are extremely high. Newly elected presidents or prime ministers can’t afford to take months or even weeks to get up to speed and begin to govern. The negative impact of a slow, protracted transition -- or worse, serious missteps during an administration’s early days in office -- on lost economic development is something that most countries simply can’t afford,” said Scott Hubli, NDI’s director of governance programs.

The Principles on Democratic Executive Branch Transitions, which was agreed to by participants at the gathering in Cabo Verde, provides a crucial framework for transitions in the region and for future work by NDI and experts around the world to support the development of norms and standards for future incoming and outgoing administrations.

“The framework of principles, established by representatives of countries in the region, is an important step in providing a roadmap for governments to minimize the potential for disputes and to ensure respect for the voters’ preferences,” said Jodi White former Chief of Staff to Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell and President of the Public Policy Forum, who participated in the Cabo Verde conference.

NDI will convene an international symposium in Washington, D.C., to add additional perspectives and approaches on this topic beyond just the West African context. The Institute will bring experts from across the world who have experience with executive branch transfers of power and will seek to engage with executive transition initiatives of the following 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“A smooth and successful transition following an election, is of singular importance to the health of any democracy and to the public’s trust in its institutions,” White said.

Published on Deceber 19, 2016

Acción Ciudadana final report on the long-term observation on electoral violence and campaign spending in 20 municipalities

jfrant — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:26:13 +0000

Author:

Acción Ciudadana

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/19/2016

Acción Ciudadana final report on the long-term observation on electoral violence and campaign spending in 20 municipalities: During 2015 elections, the Guatemalan chapter of Transparency International, Citizen Action Acción Ciudadana (AC), organized a long-term observation in 20 municipalities that were identified as having experienced high levels of electoral violence during past elections. The observation, focused on monitoring and mitigating incidents and triggers of electoral violence and observing illegal campaign financing in the target municipalities. Thirteen local organizations participated in the observation network coordinated by AC. In total, 140 citizen observers met with more than 1,300 citizens in 340 communities across the 20 municipalities. The final report describes the innovative observation methodology, which included a focus on documenting violence against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities, as well as provides a summary of the observation conclusions and recommendations.

Acción Ciudadana informe final sobre los gastos de la observación a largo plazo de violencia electoral y campaña en 20 municipios: Durante las elecciones de 2015, Acción Ciudadana (AC), la delegación guatemalteca de Transparencia Internacional, organizó una observación a largo plazo en 20 municipios que fueron identificados por haber sufrido altos niveles de violencia electoral durante las elecciones pasadas. La observación se enfocó en las causas de incidentes de violencia electoral para su mitigación y en el monitoreo del financiamiento y gasto de campaña en los municipios. Trece organizaciones locales participaron en la red de observación coordinada por AC. En total, 140 observadores se reunieron con más de 1,300 ciudadanos en 340 comunidades de 20 municipios. El informe final se describe la innovadora metodología de observación, la cual hizo incluyó los casos de violencia contra mujeres y las comunidades de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, transgénero e intersexo (LGBTI), y también provee un resumen de los hallazgos y recomendaciones de la observación.

English

Spanish

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Voices from Guatemala: Stories of Inclusion and Change

jfrant — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:09:20 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/19/2016

Language:

English, Spanish, K’iche, Ixil, Kaqchikel, Q'anjob'al

Voices from Guatemala: Stories of Inclusion and Change: This compilation of eight stories highlights the observation efforts of local partner organization Citizen Action (Accion Ciudadana, AC) and the nine-member observation coalition Electoral Watch (Mirador Electoral) that were originally published on NDI’s blog. These groups conducted a comprehensive program to monitor the pre-election environment as well as the electoral process and polls on election day. Following elections, NDI conducted interviews with observers across the country to hear their personal testimonies, which focus on different thematic areas of the observations and provide insights on the impact of observations in the communities and lives of the observers. The majority of the stories were translated into a Mayan language. NDI believes that including articles in the native language of the people telling their stories is important in a multilingual society such as Guatemala. NDI printed the series to distribute in the mostly rural communities that participated in observation initiatives. The print version also includes findings from the external evaluation that supports the individual stories and experiences shared in the stories.

Voces de Guatemala: Historias de inclusión y cambio: Esta serie de ocho historias, que fueron publicadas originalmente en el blog de NDI, resalta los esfuerzos de observación de una organización local asociada, Acción Ciudadana (AC), y del consorcio de nueve organizaciones de Mirador Electoral. Estos grupos observaron el ambiente preelectoral, así como el proceso electoral y el desempeño de las Juntas Receptoras de Votos (urnas) durante el día de las elecciones. Después de las elecciones, NDI condujo entrevistas con observadores por todo el país para escuchar sus propios testimonios, los cuales abordan distintas áreas temáticas del proceso de observación y proveen perspectivas sobre el impacto de la observación en las comunidades y la vida de las personas. La mayoría de las historias fue traducida a un idioma maya. NDI consideró importante incluir historias publicadas en el idioma materno de los protagonistas de las historias, tomando en cuenta que Guatemala es un país multilingüe. NDI imprimió la serie para distribuirla en las comunidades mayormente rurales que participaron en las iniciativas de observación. La versión impresa también incluye hallazgos de la evaluación externa que apoya las historias y experiencias individuales compartidas en la serie.

English

Spanish

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External evaluation findings on the Mirador Electoral election observation

jfrant — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:01:09 +0000

Author:

Just Governance Group

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/19/2016

Resource Type:

Evaluation

Language:

English, Spanish

External evaluation findings on the Mirador Electoral election observation: To help safeguard the integrity of Guatemala’s 2015 elections, NDI and nine-member local observation coalition, Electoral Watch (Mirador Electoral), conducted a comprehensive program to monitor the pre-election environment as well as the electoral process and polls on election day. Following the conclusion of this program, NDI contracted an external evaluation of the project to gain insight on lessons learned and recommendations for future electoral processes. During the in-country portion of the evaluation, the evaluation team met with 53 people to gather primary data through interviews, focus groups and a participatory workshop. Data was gathered in Guatemala City from NDI personnel, Mirador Electoral members, donor representatives, government officials, and journalists. Three focus groups were conducted with election observers in Cobán, Alta Verapaz and Chiquimula, Chiquimula. Following the conclusion of the evaluation, NDI organized a presentation of the report findings by the evaluation team for representatives from the Mirador Electoral coalition. The evaluation team concluded that the observation conducted by Mirador Electoral is widely recognized in Guatemala as a fundamental element of the electoral process and that the coalition made the appropriate decision to maintain observation activities despite the conditions of uncertainty surrounding the 2015 electoral process. The evaluation also provided recommendations for consolidating the coalition and deepening ties with observers at the municipal level.

Resultados de la Evaluación Externa en la Observación de Elecciones de Mirador Electoral: Para ayudar a salvaguardar la integridad de las elecciones de 2015 en Guatemala, NDI y la coalición de nueve organizaciones de Mirador Electoral monitoreó el ambiente preelectoral, así como el proceso electoral y el desempeño de las Juntas Receptoras de Votos (urnas) durante el día de las elecciones. Tras la conclusión de esta observación, NDI contrató a una consultora para hacer una evaluación externa del proyecto que permitiera identificar lecciones aprendidas y recomendaciones para futuros procesos electorales. Durante la visita del equipo de investigación a Guatemala, los evaluadores tuvieron contacto con 53 personas para recopilar datos de primera manoa través de entrevistas, grupos focales y un taller participativo. En Ciudad de Guatemala los datos se recabaron a través de entrevistas con personal de NDI, miembros de Mirador Electoral, representantes de los donantes, funcionarios gubernamentales y periodistas. Se realizaron tres grupos focales con observadores electorales en Cobán, Alta Verapaz y Chiquimula, Chiquimula. NDI organizó una presentación de las conclusiones del informe final de evaluación dirigido a los representantes de las organizaciones que integran Mirador Electoral. El equipo de evaluación concluyó que la observación llevada a cabo por Mirador Electoral es reconocida en Guatemala como un elemento fundamental del proceso electoral y que la coalición tomó la decisión apropiada para mantener las actividades de observación a pesar de las condiciones de incertidumbre en que se desarrolló el proceso electoral de 2015. La evaluación también proporcionó recomendaciones para la consolidación de la coalición y el fortalecimiento de las redes de observación en los municipios.

English

Spanish

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Mirador Electoral final election observation report

jfrant — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:48:30 +0000

Author:

Mirador Electoral

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/19/2016

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

Spanish

Mirador Electoral final election observation report: To help safeguard the integrity of the elections, the nine-member Mirador Electoral coalition monitored the pre-election environment as well as the electoral process and polls on election day. Each member organization specialized in different topics: media monitoring, transparency, quick counts, political and electoral processes, electoral and democratic integrity, electoral conflict and violence, and the political participation of women, indigenous peoples, and youth. The coalition was established in 2003 and focuses on research, analysis, discussion and communication of electoral and democratic processes. In 2015, the coalition’s objective was to promote and strengthen citizen participation as well as the credibility of the electoral process and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE). Through their regular reports and press conferences, the coalition provided recommendations to improve government and electoral transparency as well as increase the effectiveness of the electoral process. Their final report, which was shared with the TSE in 2016, provides a comprehensive overview of the electoral process and the coalition’s observation efforts as well as recommendations for reforms.

Mirador Electoral final election observation report: To help safeguard the integrity of Guatemala’s 2015 elections, NDI and nine-member local observation coalition, Electoral Watch (Mirador Electoral), conducted a comprehensive program to monitor the pre-election environment as well as the electoral process and polls on election day. Each member organization specialized in different topics: media monitoring, transparency, quick counts, political and electoral processes, electoral and democratic integrity, electoral conflict and violence, and the political participation of women, indigenous peoples, and youth. The coalition was established in 2003 and focuses on research, analysis, discussion and communication of electoral and democratic processes. In 2015, the coalition’s objective was to promote and strengthen citizen participation as well as the credibility of the electoral process and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE). Through their regular reports and press conferences, the coalition provided recommendations to improve government and electoral transparency as well as increase the effectiveness of the electoral process. Their final report, which was shared with the TSE in 2016, provides a comprehensive overview of the electoral process and the coalition’s observation efforts as well as recommendations for reforms.

Informe de Observación Electoral de Mirador Electoral: Para ayudar a salvaguardar la integridad de las elecciones de 2015 en Guatemala, NDI y la coalición de nueve organizaciones de Mirador Electoral monitoreó el ambiente preelectoral, así como el proceso electoral y el desempeño de las Juntas Receptoras de Votos (urnas) durante el día de las elecciones. Cada organización se especializó en diferentes temas como monitoreo de medios de comunicación, transparencia, conteo rápido de los votos emitidos, procesos políticos y electorales, integridad electoral y democrática, conflictividad electoral y violencia, y la participación política de las mujeres, pueblos indígenas, y jóvenes. La coalición fue establecida en 2003 y se concentra en la investigación, análisis, discusión y comunicación de los procesos electorales y democráticos. En el 2015, el objetivo de la coalición fue promover y fortalecer la participación ciudadana, así como la credibilidad del proceso electoral y el Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE). A través de sus informes periódicos y conferencias de prensa, la coalición proveyó recomendaciones para mejorar el gobierno y la transparencia electoral, así como aumentar la eficacia del proceso electoral. Su informe final, el cual fue compartido con el TSE en el año 2016, ofrece un resumen comprensivo del proceso electoral y los esfuerzos de observación de la coalición así como recomendaciones para las reformas.

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Spanish

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Orderly Voting Process Characterized Macedonia’s 2016 Parliamentary Elections

jfrant — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 16:43:29 +0000

Billboard in central Skopje put out by the Macedonian Election Commission with NDI support calls on citizens to exercise their democratic rights to vote. The billboard reads: "Your political conversations in the taxi don’t matter if you don’t go out and vote!”

Macedonia’s voters came out in large numbers in parliamentary elections on December 11 in a bid to stem a prolonged political crisis that has effectively stopped the political process and upended the country’s bid to join the European Union and NATO. With turnout at approximately 70 percent, citizens voted in six election districts and for 120 members of parliament in what domestic and international observers, including NDI’s Macedonian citizen observation partner, MOST, described as an orderly voting process, albeit not problem-free.

Sunday’s vote was the third run at early parliamentary elections this year. Two prior attempts were scuppered as conditions agreed to by the parties under international auspices, concerning voter lists and media impartiality among other areas, were deemed insufficient.

Provisional results of the State Election Commission (SEC), corroborated by MOST’s independent vote tabulation, are very close, with some 16,000 votes separating the incumbent ruling party, Internal Macedonian Revolution Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity, VMRO-DPMNE, and its principal challenger, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia. Macedonia’s sizable ethnic Albanian voters punished the incumbent Democratic Union for Integration in favor a new political formation, and SDSM, which garnered a surprising number of ethnic Albanian votes. In securing a very slim majority, VMRO-DPMNE relied on a committed base of support, while SDSM benefited from a higher turnout than usual.

The election took place amid an extended political crisis over alleged government misconduct in illegal wiretapping, judicial tampering, and other abuses that the incumbent parties strenuously denies. Several high-level government figures have been indicted by a special prosecutor, with investigations continuing, although many are concerned that the special prosecutor’s mandate will be ended before investigations are completed.

The SEC is hearing complaints over alleged misconduct and irregularities and thus far has ordered a re-vote in one polling station. Because the results are so close at the district level, where parliamentary mandates are secured, potential changes to polling station figures could materially affect which parties can form a governing coalition.

The SEC must be neutral and professional in shepherding the post-election process through to final results, and proactive and transparent in communicating with a public unused to close results in which corrections to vote tallies are possible. Election monitoring groups should be provided full access to post-electoral proceedings. Political parties must ensure that their actions support the integrity of the election process rather than resort to polarizing rhetoric, especially as the results certification process could take longer than usual.

NDI has been pleased to contribute to efforts to make this election process Macedonia’s most auspicious to-date, through support to political parties, to MOST in mounting a comprehensive monitoring effort to inform the public, and to citizens through the SEC’s voter rights awareness campaign.

Beyond elections, Macedonia will need to pursue a raft of democratic and governance reforms to provide the political stability, transparency, and accountability needed to move its democratic transition—and its related bids to join the European Union and NATO—forward.

Published December, 17, 2016

NDI Ghana Observer Delegation Issues Post-Election Preliminary Statement, Applauds the People of Ghana

erodriguez — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 05:31:28 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/09/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) today released its preliminary statement of findings and recommendations from its international election observation mission to Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections of December 7, 2016.

The delegation stresses that official election results are not yet complete, and its statement therefore is preliminary in nature. The delegation calls on Ghanaian political parties and candidates to cooperate in good faith with the Electoral Commission and for the results to be expeditiously released. Ultimately it is the people of Ghana who will determine the credibility of the elections, and political leaders should respect the people’s will expressed in the December 7 polls.

The preliminary statement commends the Electoral Commission for its notable improvements since the 2012 polls, and it expresses appreciation for the efforts of other election stakeholders, exemplified by the Accra Declaration for peaceful polls, signed on December 1 by all presidential candidates.

The preliminary statement highlights aspects of voter participation, election administration, and security. NDI’s delegation notes that, overall, voting was peaceful, orderly and well-organized as executed by trained polling officials. Most voters were well-informed about the process and turned out in large numbers.

The delegation’s preliminary statement provides recommendations to the government of Ghana, the Electoral Commission, political parties and candidates, civil society and the media, and security forces. The recommendations focus on promoting peace, expanding communications, and increasing women’s participation. These include:

political leaders calling publicly on their supporters to respond peacefully to the EC’s announcement of election results and to seek redress through legal avenues should there be reason for electoral complaints or disputes;
mitigating political polarization and rancorous conflict between parties by creating mechanisms for ongoing dialogue across party lines both in and outside of the normal legislative context;
organizing a thorough post-election review of the conduct of the 2016 elections and adopting appropriate recommendations to attain and consolidate best practices;
initiating electoral reform early in the next legislature;
actively facilitating women’s participation by creating an enabling environment for meaningful political leadership opportunities for women; and
disbanding vigilante groups and calling on youth to engage peacefully in political processes.

The NDI Ghana observer delegation comprised 30 political and civic leaders, elections experts, and regional specialists from 14 countries. Delegation leadership was as follows: Amb. Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department, and member of the board of directors of NDI; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa, NDI; and Dr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

NDI’s election observation for the December 7 elections included two pre-election assessment missions in August and October 2016, the statements of which can be found at www.ndi.org/ghana. The delegation conducted its activities in accordance with Ghanaian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, and collaborated with other international observer missions that endorse the Declaration.

NDI’s international election observation mission in Ghana is funded by a grant from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State. The Institute’s pre-election missions were funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Read full statement below:

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NDI IOM Preliminary Statement - Ghana Dec 9 2016 final.pdf	141.89 KB

CODEO deploys 8000 observers and open its National Information Center ahead of Elections day

erodriguez — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:08:08 +0000

Author:

Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO)

Published Date:

12/06/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed optimism in the ability of Ghanaians to go to the polls peacefully and use tomorrow’s elections as another opportunity to consolidate the country’s democratic and electoral gains. Prof. Greenstreet reiterated that ‘the December 2016 Polls offer Ghanaians another opportunity to rise above these challenges and prove to ourselves and the global community that we are determined to stay on the democratic path and deepen the development of our democracy. We must use this opportunity to elect our leaders and representatives to demonstrate our willingness to participate fully in the democratic process, and, above all, our commitment to accountable governance’.

www.codeoghana.org

See full statement below:

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Final CODEO 2016 pre-election press release (Dec. 6).pdf	220.08 KB

NDI International Election Observer Mission Arrives in Ghana

erodriguez — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 12:44:04 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/03/2016

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding an international election observation mission for Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.

The delegation includes 30 political and civic leaders, elections experts, and regional specialists from 14 countries. Leadership of the delegation is comprised of Amb. Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department; Hon. J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former justice, South African Constitutional Court; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa, NDI; and Mr. Pat Merloe, senior associate and director of elections, NDI.

Media Type:

Press Release - IOM Arrival Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2016

For more information, contact:

Emily Rodriguez, erodriguez@ndi.org, +233 (0) 242 930 476

NDI International Election Observer Mission Arrives in Ghana

ACCRA, Ghana – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding an international election observation mission for Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.

“The recent peace accord signed by all seven presidential candidates and the country’s consistent record of credible elections demonstrate Ghana’s reputation as one of the more established democracies in West Africa,” said Ambassador Carson. “We expect high interest at the polls on Wednesday and hope that Ghana will continue to lead by example.”

The objectives of the NDI delegation are to provide an accurate and impartial assessment of the administration and character of the election process in Ghana, and to demonstrate the support of the international community to Ghanaian efforts to strengthen democratic processes in their country.

During their stay in Ghana, the observers will participate in briefings on Ghanaian political and electoral processes from Ghanaian experts, political leaders, election administrators, representatives of civil society, as well as NDI staff. Delegates will deploy in two-person teams to regional capitals across Ghana to meet with election administrators, parliamentary candidates, domestic observer groups, and political and civic activists in these localities. On election day, observers will visit polling sites in their area of deployment to watch the voting, tabulation of results, and other aspects of electoral proceedings.

“As the last African country to hold national elections of 2016, all eyes are on Ghana,” said Dr. Fomunyoh. “We hope that the voices of citizens will be heard, as Ghanaians deserve nothing short of meaningful and peaceful polls.”

The NDI delegation will hold a press conference on Friday, December 9 in Accra. At that time, NDI will issue a report with the delegation’s findings and recommendations on steps that could enhance confidence and participation in the election process.

The mission is supported by a grant from the United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

###

NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.

Statement of the Joint IRI/NDI Pre-Election Assessment Mission to Ghana - September 2016

erodriguez — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 13:27:59 +0000

Author:

NDI & IRI International Election Observation Mission

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Published Date:

11/01/2016

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English

This statement is offered by a delegation organized jointly by the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The delegation visited Ghana from August 8 to 12, 2016. The purpose of the mission was to support Ghana’s efforts to conduct peaceful and credible elections in 2016. The delegation’s specific goals were to:

Assess preparation for Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative polls;
Identify potential risks to the good conduct of all aspects of the electoral process;
Provide recommendations to increase the integrity and transparency of the electoral process; and
Demonstrate solidarity with the people of Ghana as they seek to consolidate their democracy through successful elections.

Assess preparation for Ghana’s December 7, 2016, presidential and legislative polls;
Identify potential risks to the good conduct of all aspects of the electoral process;
Provide recommendations to increase the integrity and transparency of the electoral process; and
Demonstrate solidarity with the people of Ghana as they seek to consolidate their democracy through successful elections.

English

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Joint Ghana PEAM Statement FINAL.pdf	222.34 KB