Introduction

An election is a lengthy procedure that entails the participation of many people. In every election,
there are winners and losers. The stakes are huge, and there is a strong temptation to win by using
unlawful or ethically dubious (or even corrupt) methods. Election results can be rigged or interrupted in
order to predict who will win or lose, calling into question the process' validity.

So, how can elections meet the international standards of electoral integrity? What are the
consequences when elections fail to do so? What can governments do to mitigate these issues? Any
election conducted according to international standards must be professional, impartial, and transparent
in its preparation and administration throughout the electoral cycle. When these guidelines are not
understood or addressed, they can undermine the credibility of the election process and the results it
yields - political leaders and government officials lack accountability to the public, public confidence in
the election results is weak and therefore, the power of the democracy is compromised.

Public confidence is key when addressing legal frameworks surrounding electoral integrity as
although reform is of ultimate importance, the general public need to be convinced that the changes
implemented are real and deserve their confidence. This opens up new avenues for consideration when
discussing this issue. In our current world, member nations face increasingly significant challenges and
risks, regardless of whether they are a well-established or a transitional democracy. These risks are
further compounded by complex and volatile factors such as but are not limited to technology, political
insecurity, misinformation and natural crises.

As per sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions", the
UN encourages member states to support responsive, inclusive, participative, and representative
decision-making (Target 16.7) as well as the development of effective, accountable, and transparent
institutions at all levels (Target 16.6). More than 100 countries have requested and have received United
Nations electoral assistance since 1991, according to the Electoral Assistance Division of the
Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

Definition of Key Terms

Electoral integrity
Electoral integrity refers to the international standards and global norms that regulate how
elections should be conducted.

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Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs)
An EMB is an organization or body that has the sole purpose of, and is legally responsible for,
managing some or all of the elements that are essential for the conduct of elections and direct
democracy instruments—such as referendums, citizens’ initiatives and recall votes—if those are part
of the legal framework.

Disinformation
False or misleading information created or distributed with malicious intent to either cause harm or
benefit the perpetrator. The intention to cause damage may be directed toward individuals, groups,
institutions or processes.

Misinformation
False or misleading information is shared without the intent to cause harm or the realization that it is
incorrect. In some cases, actors may unknowingly perpetuate the spread of disinformation by
sharing content they believe to be accurate among their networks.

Background Information

Electoral integrity has generated global concern as it is a crucial factor in to preserving

democracy. To ensure that international standards of electoral processes are ment, it is important to
identify that this issue is complex and has far-reaching national and humanitarian consequences. Natural
crises like the pandemic, technology and misinformation, and inadequate electoral legislature are the
most prevalent problems concerning electoral integrity. Each of these issues must be addressed
thoroughly to uphold public confidence in democracy and ensure credible and fair electoral systems.

The Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 outbreak posed a serious threat to election results all around the world. Elections
are necessary for democracy, but the high volume of human interactions within the electoral process
means that holding an election during a pandemic could accelerate the spread the virus. Electoral
officials were thus forced to manage an election amid a crisis, frequently for the first time.

International response to elections

Between 21 February 2020 and 21 October 2021, at least 79 countries and territories across the
globe decided to postpone national and subnational elections due to COVID-19. At the same
time, 142 countries and territories decided to hold national or subnational elections despite
concerns related to COVID-19.

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A global demographic of countries which postponed their elections due the the Covid-19 crisis

A global demographic of countries which continued with elections as planned despite the the Covid-19 crisis

The varied response to the Covid-19 crisis raises the question of when it is democratic to
postpone an election. When elections are held during such crises, chances for discussion,
contestation, participation, and election management quality are significantly hampered. On one
hand, this can be a compelling democratic rationale for a time-limited postponement. A delay, on
the other hand, can undermine institutional certainty, posing a risk of democratic breakdown.

The Covid-19 pandemic was not the first, and it is unlikely to be the last. There is also a broader
range of emergency scenarios, such as floods, earthquakes, and civil wars, in which election
preparations must be changed for humanitarian reasons as well as to protect democratic values.
As a result of the global spread of Covid-19, countries and territories have been compelled to
reexamine how elections should be conducted in pandemic scenarios. The judgments made have
a far-reaching impact on the state of democracy today and in the future.

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 Other impacts of the pandemic on electoral integrity

It is important to consider not only the safety of election processes during the pandemic but also
the broader challenges on electoral integrity due to the pandemic. Governments face a difficult
predicament as they attempt to handle the disastrous effects on financial markets, economy, and
overburdened health systems. The pandemic, as well as the responses to it, will undoubtedly
have significant implications for democracy and human rights. If democratic governance
deteriorates, governments' ability to satisfy the wide-ranging demands of those affected by the
pandemic is jeopardized. Efforts to exploit the pandemic for political gain and to undermine
democracy also pose significant challenges for EMBs.

Additionally, EMBs need focus on preserving information integrity during these unprecedented
times. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) recognises the following areas
as the immediate challenges to information integrity stemming from Covid-19:
- Administering electoral operations: Voters will need to learn new information as a result of
fundamental changes to existing electoral systems. Traditional voter suppression efforts
may become more difficult to distinguish in this scenario. Election administration mistakes
and irregularities, which are anticipated to increase due to new, reformed processes, may
produce narratives of widespread fraud. Furthermore, in an effort to undermine electoral
integrity, certains parties may incite or exploit COVID-19 worries to sabotage voter
registration, turnout, or election processes.
- Democratic integrity: To combat misinformation and hate speech linked to COVID-19,
governments have established a number of restrictive regulations. These laws are a
continuation of a global trend of harsh, strict legislation in which lawmakers strive to
criminalise problematic content in ways that limit freedoms of expression and the press.
These laws are frequently applied in a politicized manner that benefits only certain
political parties and politicians.
- Campaign period: Due of the limited opportunities for campaigning during the epidemic,
parties and candidates are likely to turn to the internet to reach and mobilise voters. As a
result, current initiatives to expand social media monitoring and control have taken on a
new level of importance.
- Reduced transparency and accountability: This global pandemic allows governments –
particularly those already leaning toward authoritarianism – to use emergency powers to
restrict individual and collective political rights and limit access to public information,
potentially jeopardizing the state's accountability and democratic resilience.

Electoral violence

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 Individuals and organizations can be excluded from electoral processes if they are denied the
right to vote in elections under electoral law. It can also be set up in such a way that one side is favoured
over the other. Those who believe they are being denied the right to vote or will be competing on an
unfair playing field may resort to violence to get their point across or to prevent elections from taking
place at all. Similarly, a government or its supporters may resort to violence to prevent specific groups
from casting ballots in elections. Electoral legislations can sometimes be rather inadequate and can
spark violent conflicts.

Case Studies of Inadequate Electoral Law

Zimbabwe's presidential and parliamentary elections held in 2008. The timeline for the Zimbabwe
Election Commission (ZEC) to declare election results was not specified in the 2007 electoral
law. Furthermore, the schedule for the second round of elections was only 21 days, which was
unrealistic. Due to legal anomalies, the election results were delayed, increasing concerns among
the opposition that the elections were manipulated. As tensions rose, pro-Mugabe supporters
began to threaten residents of provinces considered strongholds of the opposition. The significant
presence of youth militias and combat veterans notorious for their violent techniques terrified
residents of Manicaland Province.

The presidential election of Côte d'Ivoire, 2010. Laurent Gbagbo, the incumbent President of
Côte d'Ivoire, had postponed the presidential election scheduled for February 2010. The
postponement sparked violent protests around the country, resulting in 14 casualties, including
five fatalities. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) was required to submit election
results to the Constitutional Council for verification under a 2008 modification to the electoral
legislation. This provision had a role in the outbreak of severe post-election violence, which
resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 people. President Gbagbo utilized his power over the
Constitutional Council to prevent the opposition candidate, Alassane Ouattara, from being
certified as the winner of the election, which prompted the violence.

Burundi's presidential election, 2015. The violence that erupted due to the 2015 Burundi elections
was sparked by a dispute about the validity of Pierre Nkurunziza's third term as President. His
supporters maintained that the 2005 constitution's two-term limit did not apply to Nkurunziza's
first mandate since he had been elected by the national assembly rather than by universal
suffrage. Large street demonstrations followed the Constitutional Court's endorsement of this
interpretation on May 4 2015, and a (failed) coup ensued on May 13. Despite the fact that a
boycott by crucial opposition parties, local and legislative elections were held on June 29 and
presidential elections on July 15.

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Voter Information Campaigns

Information on a candidate's qualifications, policy positions, and performance in office can

influence voter turnout and who gets elected. This type of information has been most influential in lower-
income countries when widely communicated from a reliable source. A voter information campaign is a
coordinated effort by the relevant EMB to provide residents with the essential information to participate in
elections as candidates and voters. Eligibility requirements and dates, as well as registration and voting
places and processes, are frequently included in this type of information. However, some voter
information campaigns may be ambiguous, poorly timed, and fail to reach all citizens, particularly
marginalized ones in rural areas. As a result, voters may be unclear regarding the voter registration
eligibility requirements, the requisite identity documents, the designated voting venue, the voting
procedure, and so on. Ill-informed citizens may cause delays or disruptions in election procedures,
burdening EDR mechanisms unnecessarily.

If the information on candidates' policies and politicians' performance in office is disseminated to

the public as part of voter information campaigns, it has a significant impact on who people vote for.
According to trends, less corrupt, more qualified, and better-performing candidates have a higher vote
share when this method is employed. Information supplied directly from candidates through public and
private video screenings boosted voter awareness of candidates' policy positions in Sierra Leone and
Uganda. After watching these videos, voters in both countries were also more likely to vote for a
candidate who shared their policy preferences. Holding policy-focused town hall meetings outside of
candidates' usual strongholds raised voter turnout and reduced political patronage in Benin. In the
Philippines, interactive town-hall style campaigns involving candidates addressing their campaign
themes with small groups of voters helped small, issue-based parties win more votes in legislative
elections.

Media and disinformation

The media plays an essential role in fostering and upholding democratic societies. They can
perform three fundamental functions throughout the electoral cycle: (1) relay the messages of political
parties and candidates; (2) monitor and supervise the electoral process; and (3) provide voters with
information on the candidates, specific procedures and processes. In recent years, the prevalence of
disinformation, and its fundamental impact on electoral integrity, has become an issue of global concern.

UNESCO has identified three main features that provide significant challenges to democracies:
the growing volume of information produced, its geographical extent and reach, and the continuously
changing information landscape. Political parties and candidates have adopted new information

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dissemination tactics, amassing thousands of followers on novel platforms (such as social media and
local networks). As a result, information moves considerably faster than ever before from local to national
and worldwide news. Today's disinformation benefits from the increasing use of mobile devices, where
micro-targeted political messages have infiltrated our personal spaces and frequently weaken trust in the
media–creating a climate conducive to disinformation.

Deepfake videos
Deepfake videos, which use artificial intelligence (AI) to create falsified videos that are virtually
undetectable by switching out someone's face and voice with that of an impostor, are another
source of concern. Deepfake videos are being used to fuel false accusations and fake narratives.
According to some experts, such videos might be shared and circulated even quicker than
current fake news. For example, slight variations in how a candidate makes an otherwise
authentic speech could be exploited to cast doubt on his or her character, fitness, and mental
health. In addition, deepfakes might potentially be used to create wholly new false content, such
as controversial or offensive comments, to incite violence or exploit political differences. Such
videos have already been used to destabilize governments and political processes in other
countries.
- After the release of an apparently fake video of President Ali Bongo suggesting that he
was no longer fit to maintain office, the military mounted an ultimately unsuccessful coup
in Gabon.
- In Belgium, a political group created a deepfake of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel
giving a speech linking the COVID-19 outbreak to environmental harm and calling for
serious climate change action.

Major Countries and Organisations Involved

International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

IFES interacts with civil society, public institutions, and the private sector to build resilient
democracies. They provided technical assistance and applied research that renders electoral bodies
capable of conducting credible elections; effective and accountable governing institutions; civic and
political processes in which all people can safely and equally participate; and innovative ways in which
technology and data can benefit elections and democracy. IFES has worked in over 145 countries since
1987, ranging from transitional to established democracies, and currently has programs in more than 20
countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Africa, Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, and Americas. IFES is a
nonpartisan, international organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

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United States of America

The USA has been in the spotlight for the integrity of its electoral system since the 2016 election.
However, concerns about the integrity of American elections predate this election; faults in the system
have progressively emerged over the last few decades. The 2000 Bush v. Gore Florida election was the
pivotal moment that heightened public awareness, but the 2016 campaign and its aftermath clearly
exacerbated several significant structural flaws. This worsened the inter-partisan divide over the electoral
standards and eroded public confidence in the democratic process.

Moreover, election disputes have generated widespread national concern with fierce debate over the
fundamental issues—whether electoral fraud, false news or voter suppression—and no consensus on
the best solutions. Harvard University's Electoral Integrity Project undertook a new expert survey on the
2020 US Presidential Elections. The study discovered that several issues, such as gerrymandering,
campaign money, and misinformation continue to impair the quality of American elections. Furthermore,
the decline in performance since 2016 indicates a growing legitimacy dilemma in American elections.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)

International IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation that captures diverse experiences of democracy

from around the globe. They assess their potential relevance across countries and regions to incorporate
them into their expanding body of comparative knowledge on democracy.
They provide decision-makers with accurate information on existing options and their likely implications.
The organisation helps facilitate dialogue at the country, expert and international levels:
● At the country level, they engage at the request of governments, parliaments or
constitutional/electoral bodies. As a convener and facilitators of dialogue at the country level, they
make knowledge-based policy options available to actors in national reform processes.
● At the expert level, they convene dialogues to improve the design and implementation of politics
in support of democracy. This enables them to test and pilot the instruments and tools of such
new policies.
● At the international level, they engage in multilateral forums and initiatives to build global
understanding on crucial democracy issues. This enhances the focus on democracy-building
within the broader international agenda, particularly peacebuilding and state-building.

Previous Attempts and Possible Solutions

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) investigates four variables that can trigger
conflicts and proposes viable solutions to these issues. (1) The electoral formula is key in electoral
conflict considerations. How votes are added up, or aggregated to determine positions of power play a
significant role in public confidence in the system. Designing or reforming legislative frameworks
centered around this idea are principal in determining what type of electoral system to implement. (2)
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Analysing the district magnitude or how many seats are allocated in a particular district is critical because
of its effects on the inclusion and exclusion of significant social groups through proportionality of
representation: the greater the district magnitude, the greater the proportionality of the results. Studies
have shown that with greater district magnitude, the outcome is more inclusive, for example, of women
or for representation of ethnic diversity. (3) Vote-to-seat-ratio: how many votes does it take to get a seat
in the legislature. This ratio can vary and is also affected by the population of the country; for example,
there is come concern about sustaining very large legislatures in smaller countries because of the cost
and loss of decision-making efficiency that may results. It is also important to conflict management as it
determines whether small parties win representation. (4) Boundary delimitation: this concept explores
how many districts there will be and how these will relate to the spatial distribution of voters (for example,
should the districts be separated along ethnic, racial or religious lines?)

According to ‘Electoral System Design: The New International IDEA Handbook’, the choice of
electoral system is one of the most important institutional decisions of any democracy. While electoral
systems have a significant impact on the political life of the country concerned, it is only recently that
there has been a conscious effort to select and design such systems. Traditionally, they have been the
result of circumstance, colonial experience or even the influence of neighbouring countries.

Proportional representation (PR) is an example of an electoral system in which divisions amongst

voters are reflected proportionately in the elected body. Out of the 43 countries in Europe, 40 of them
use some form of proportional representation system. This concept applies mainly to geographical and
political divisions of the electorate. The most prevalent forms of proportional representation all require
multiple-member voting districts (also called super-districts). Since it is not possible to fill a single seat in
a proportionate manner, PR systems that achieve the highest levels of proportionality tend to include
districts with large numbers of seats, as large as a province or an entire nation. The most widely used
families of PR electoral systems are party-list PR, single transferable vote (STV), and mixed-member PR
(MMP). Although every system has its benefits and flaws, this system is considered the most effective in
preserving electoral integrity as it ensures that more voices are represented fairly.

Furthermore, when electoral risks are not recognized and addressed, the process's legitimacy
and the results it produces are jeopardized. EMBs' experiences show that when formal risk management
methods are applied properly, the benefits are significant. Greater risk awareness allows firms to
concentrate their resources where they are most required, resulting in cost savings. Over the last
decade, EMBs have shifted their risk management systems from informal to formal. IDEA recommends
transitional democracies or nations experiencing political insecurity to apply such risk management
methods as illustrated in their Guide.

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