iEIP-2024

4th Annual Virtual Electoral Integrity Conference

July 8-12, 2024

Application Deadline: March 31st, 2024

Organizers

Co-Convenors: Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College / Queen's University, Canada), Toby James (University of East Anglia, UK), Anna Unger (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)

Conference Administrator: Sofia Caal-Lam (EIP, Project Coordinator)

CO-SPONSORS

International IDEA, IFES, and The Carter Center.

*This is a free conference

Theme

Elections are crucial to achieving democratic governance. This year’s virtual workshop will focus on the three major components of electoral integrity listed below:

Contestation & Deliberation: The most important way in which elections distribute power is by allowing a wider range of groups, individuals and parties to contest the election.  Rather than power remaining in the hands of a fixed monarch, autocratic or tyrant, all citizens have the opportunity to enter office themselves.  They can then represent in the interests of  fellow citizens and the general will of the wider electorate – rather than the interests of a specific sectional group. This makes the contestation and deliberative functions of elections so crucial. Papers are welcome speaking to issues including:

  • Candidates & political parties and their experiences of the electoral process

  • Campaign finance and the role of money in deliberative processes

  • The information environment, including traditional and social media

Participation: Wide and even participation is needed to ensure that the whole population is part of the electorate – those who in effect have the power to choose those in power and can direct and influence policy. We invite papers that consider:

  • Threats and opportunities for enfranchisement and Voter turnout

  • Convenience registration and voting measures and accessibility, especially among equity-deserving groups

Electoral justice: Electoral Justice provides an essential pathway for citizens, candidates, parties and other stakeholders to seek legal address where there have been defects in the delivery of elections.  It also provides a safety value for those who have grievances with the electoral process to have their concerns heard.  However, it can also be a venue where false claims of electoral fraud are made as part of a deliberate attempt to discredit credible elections. Around the world election courts are now playing a central role in hearing cases in disputed elections.  We welcome papers on topics such as  :

  • Conceptual papers on electoral justice and electoral integrity

  • Country case studies of systems of electoral justice and disputed elections and

  • Policy papers of best practice in legal disputes.

  • Tactics of electoral stakeholders such as parties, candidates and citizens.

Papers are welcome from all disciplines, including but not limited to political science, law and legal studies, development and contemporary political history.

Types of Paper

We take a pluralistic approach to research – and welcome papers from all types of research methods.  This might include studies using narrative case-studies, process tracing, experimental designs, mass and expert panel surveys, systematic aggregate data, or political theory.  Studies could be based on a single country or be cross-national in nature.

We also welcome practitioner papers which highlight recent policy innovations and other perspectives from the field of elections.

PRACTICAL LOGISTICS

Our third annual virtual conference will take place online, the week of July 8-12, 2024.  Panels will be arranged to accommodate multiple time zones with panels taking place across the week.

As well as standard thematic paper panels with discussants, there will be practitioner and civil society roundtables and opportunities to connect with old/new colleagues and friends around the globe.

Conference registration will be free to all paper presenters and delegates.

All accepted paper-givers are asked to upload a copy of their written papers to the workshop website by June 24, as a condition of inclusion in the program. This requirement allows discussants and all other participants to read work in advance, maximizing time and opportunities for feedback and discussion.