How to improve elections

For decades, many have hoped that technology would revolutionize how elections are conducted. Replacing traditional paper-based approaches could offer a dramatic improvement in voter identification, faster and easier voting and results, higher accuracy, heightened integrity and public trust, and lower cost. However, electoral technologies have sometimes proven vulnerable to failure and security breaches, distrust by contestants and voters, inflated costs, and legal challenges. This podcast features a panel which explores how electoral technology should be handled with respect to electoral justice. Panelists (justices and senior election/legal experts) will discuss common challenges in litigating disputes related to election technology, in particular from the recent Kenya (2022 General Elections), U.S., Brazil (2022) and Nigeria elections (2023 February), present lessons learned from recent cases, and emerging best practices and challenges. Introduced by Toby James. Chaired by Chad Vickery, IFES Vice President of Global Strategy and Technical Leadership. Panelists: Justice Yargata Nimpar (Nigeria Court of Appeal) Judge Tunheim (U.S. District Court of Minnesota) Justice Daniel Musinga (Kenya Court of Appeal and Vice President of Judicial Council on Elections) Ronan McDermott (Global Sr. election expert) Typhaine Roblot (IFES Sr. Legal and Justice Advisor)

The covid-19 pandemic presented a huge challenge to electoral officials, policy makers and stakeholders for running elections. Just as the pandemic came to an end in 2023, International IDEA and the Electoral Integrity Project published an edited book setting out the lessons from the pandemic for future emergency situations. This is a joint International IDEA an Electoral Integrity podcast episode involving discussion about the key lessons. It was introduced and chaired by Therese Pearce Laanela (International IDEA), alongside the book editors Toby James (UEA), Alistair Clark (Newcastle University) and Erik Asplund (International IDEA). The book is free to download here: https://www.electoralintegrityproject.com/elections-during-emergencies-and-crises.

Can the Summit for Democracy improve elections? A panel of international practitioners discuss the commitments being made around the world to improve elections following the Summit of Democracy, first launched by US President Joe Biden. Introduced by Toby James (University of East Anglia). Chaired by Avery Davis-Roberts (The Carter Center). Panelist include: Julia Keutgen (IDEA), David Carroll (The Carter Center), Marcella Morris (Emory University), Ambar Zobairi (USAID) and Clara Cole (IFES).

Dr Felicity Marcus and Dr. Yvette Nel (Tara Hospital and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) make the case for voting rights of mental health care users, explaining how they are often denied in South Africa and many other countries. Interview by Toby James (UEA).

Dr Victoria Shineman makes the case for extending the franchise to prisoners and former prisoners, in the United States and beyond. Interview with Toby James (UEA).

Dr. Jan Eichhorn (University of Edinburgh, UK) makes the case for lowering the voting age to 16. Interview by Toby James (UEA, UK).

Dr. Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College & Queens University, Canada) makes the case for online voter registration as a way to improve elections. Interview by Prof. Toby James (UEA).

The Electoral Integrity Project is an independent academic research project which seeks to use academic knowledge to prescribe ways to improve the electoral process and support democracy. 'How to improve elections' is a new podcast series which features ideas from the project - and academics around the globe. Whether your a concerned citizen, student, policy maker or legislator - this should give you ideas for making elections fairer and able to hold politicians to account. This short trailer is to wet your appetite for the series ahead, coming soon!