The Electoral Knowledge Network - Strengthening Democratic Governance through Elections

1. Antonio Spinelli Senior Programme Officer International IDEA www.idea.int THE ELECTORAL KNOWLEDGE NETWORK

2. elections: a fundamental element of democratic governance more countries than ever before are working to build or to strengthen democratic governance

3. elections: a fundamental element of democratic governance GOOD GOVERNANCE more countries than ever before are working to build or to strengthen democratic governance parliamentary development a growing attention of the world community to the conditions for the holding of elections “periodic” electoral systems and processes “fair” “free” public administration and civil service reform “genuine” access to information access to justice and human rights decentralization and local governance

4. elections: a fundamental element of democratic governance more countries than ever before are working to build or to strengthen democratic governance a growing attention of the world community to the conditions for the holding of elections a sharp increase worldwide in the number of elections of a pluralistic nature

5. elections: a fundamental element of democratic governance more countries than ever before are working to build or to strengthen democratic governance a growing attention of the world community to the conditions for the holding of elections a sharp increase worldwide in the number of elections of a pluralistic nature only a few states in the world do not conduct elections

6. elections: a fundamental element of democratic governance not all elections provide people with real opportunities to chose their representatives freely an unequal access to the media an inadequate electoral framework a partisan administration of the electoral process restrictions in political freedoms and participation electoral frauds and violations electoral violence and political intimidation lack of professionalism in the administration of the elections inadequate or untimely funding of elections and more …

7. the “knowledge gap” DEMOCRATISATION WAVE C O L D W A R elections were primarily an internalmatter of states a wide number of countries undertook steps to reform their electoral systems and processes NO EXTERNAL SCRUTINY EVALUATION

8. the democratization wave new critical needs emerged: the field of electoral administration has dramatically grown and changed in scope accountability legitimacy representation sustainability transparency participation there was a sharp increase in demand for electoral assistance election practitioners confront more and more complex challenges

9. the “knowledge gap” THE KNOWLEDGE GAP some countries were largely unprepared to go through major democratic transitions that featured crucial elections some electoral institutions did not posses the necessary experienceand knowledge to deliver and guaranteecredible elections electoral practitioners had virtually no access to comparative knowledge, bestpractices and lessons learned in the field of elections there was no coherent electoral administration methodology, the field lacked of common standards 1990’s

10. the ACE Project a collaborative effort KNOWLEDGE GAP the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), was founded in 1995. The Institute's overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes founded in 1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, IFES has developed and implemented comprehensive, collaborative democracy solutions in more than 100 countries the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) organizes United Nations Conferences on Global Policy issues and serves as the Secretariat to the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies

11. the ACE Project a complete and systematic collection of informationon all aspects relating to the organization of elections

12. target audience media representatives policy-makers and legislators academics election administrators researchers and students electoral practitioners the civil society members of parliament multilateral institutions political party representatives donor agencies

13. key facts and figures an estimated 8,000pages of text 150 case studies from 40 countries 500 election-related links to external resources three official language versions: English, Spanish and French partial, unofficial language versions: Arabic, Serbian, Albanian and Russian 15,000 CD-Roms distributed worldwide ACE website traffic averages between 700,000 and 1,000,000 hitsper month collects 700 sample materials from 90 countries

14. the new challenges new needs and priorities were arising, which were not there when ACE Project had been initially conceived

15. the changing needs CREDIBILITY GAP THE KNOWLEDGE GAP electoral management bodies confront a whole set of new challenges: building the trust of the various stakeholders in the electoral process electorate political parties the civil society the media observer groups international community

16. the changing needs CREDIBILITY GAP THE KNOWLEDGE GAP electoral management bodies confront a whole set of new challenges: ? building the trust of the various stakeholders in the electoral process creating transparent and sustainable electoral systems and processes addressing problems of lack of retention of their institutional memory reversing situations of professional stagnation solving political, financial and logistical challenges undermining their work and the credibility of the elections PROFESSIONAL STAGNATION

17. building trust LOSS OF CREDIBILITY enhanced credibility and strengthened public trust a more professional electoral administration electoral process

18. in the electoral process in the institution administering that process credible elections require stakeholders’ confidence: stakeholders’ confidence matters in the way in which that process is being administrated

19. solving the credibility gap once that public trust in the electoral process is lost, regaining it could be extremely difficult TWOFOLD SOLUTION: 2 1 run elections well be perceived as running elections well a “professional” approach

20. solving the credibility gap a “profession” differs from a “job” is always guided by an ethical code of conduct has access to reference materials and publications on relevant subject matters takes part in professional development programmes, training courses, secondments is part of a network of peers – other practitioners sharing same professional interests and goals - who could serve as a resource for obtaining support and inspiration a “professional” approach

21. expanding the ACE partnership the ACE Project could no longer provide all the appropriateresponses to address the new challenges the ACE partners sought to evaluate the relevance of the ACE Project to address these changing needs full project partners cooperating partners transform the ACE Project into a more active and interactive force, with new services and dimensions

22. T H E E L E C T O R A L K N O W L E D G E N E T W O R K 1 2 3 KNOWLEDGE BASE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT THE ELECTORAL KNOWLEDGE NETWORK acquire and manage knowledge produce and share knowledge adapt and apply knowledge

23. THE KNOWLEDGE BASE KNOWLEDGE 1 KNOWLEDGE BASE online databases and tools, publications, libraries KNOWLEDGE BASE acquiring organising storing acquire and manage knowledge

24. THE KNOWLEDGE BASE 1 an enhanced and updated version of the ACE core texts, with special emphasis on issues of costs, sustainability, professionalism and trust KNOWLEDGE BASE new dynamic functions, a greater interaction between the core texts and related links, services and resources new comparative functions allowing users to comparehow different countries manage their elections: country [A] country [B] electoral system vote counting voter education access a wide and structured collection of electoral resources, case studies and sample materials from all over the world professional advisory services online, a help-desk, provided by the ACE Practitioners’ Network acquire and manage knowledge

25. THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK 2 a group of electoral practitioners sharing common interests, common professional responsibilities and common goals THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE produces relevant knowledge, services and core resources to the ACE Project shares and puts into effective use such knowledge, services and resources knowledge base ACE core text, databases, online tools, publications the practitioners’ network human expertise: professional network, thematic and regional electoral knowledge electoral knowledge produce and share knowledge GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF USERS

26. THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK 2 THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK practitioners specialised on given electoral subjects corresponding the 12 topic area of the ACE Project Electoral Systems Legal Framework Electoral Management Elections & Technology Boundary Delimitation Elections Integrity Voter Education Media and Elections Voter Registration Parties & Candidates produce and share knowledge Vote Counting Voting Operations

27. THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK 2 Voter Registration THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK HIGHLY COMPUTERISED VOTER REGISTRATION??? THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK produce and share knowledge

28. THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK 2 Voter Registration THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK produce and share knowledge

29. THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK 2 exchange of information and know-how collection of comparative data and resource materials creation of opportunities for activities and events THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK mutual support and provision of advisory services production of case studies produce and share knowledge

30. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT 3 capacity development facility (CDF) THE PRACTITIONERS’ NETWORK CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT long-term capacity development projectsto assist electoral management bodies requiring support to reach higher levels of professionalisation regional training programmes for electoral instructions wishing to strengthen the professional capacity of their staff targeted assistance activitiesfor electoral management bodies requiring assistance in strengthening their policy and legislation frameworks capacity development tools and formal educational programmeson electoral administration based on the ACE texts, leading to the awarding of formal certificates/diplomas by academic institutions adapt and apply knowledge

31. THE ELECTORAL KNOWLEDGE NETWORK T H A N K Y O U