In this episode of Peer-to-Peer, we speak to Miguel de Brito and Domingos de Rosaria about cyclones Idai and Kenneth and their impact on Mozambique’s 2019 Presidential, Legislative and Provincial elections. This was the first time in recorded history that two strong tropical cyclones hit Mozambique during the same season. This conversation is based on International IDEA’s case study on how the two cyclones devastated the country and specifically how it impacted the electoral process, as well as a discussion on how the electoral commission can be better prepared for the upcoming 2024 elections.  

Guests: Miguel de Brito has been International IDEA’s Head of Programme for Mozambique since 2019 and has 20 years of experience in the field of political governance. Domingos de Rosaria is a senior lecturer at the Eduardo Mondlane University, and a senior researcher at the Centro de Estudos Urbanos de Moçambique.  

HOSTS: Heidi Park and Erik Asplund 

GUESTS: Miguel de Brito and Domingos de Rosaria

International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy 2022 Report has been published. Report Editor and International IDEA's Head of Democracy Assessment, Seema Shah, provides an overview of the findings. Democracy is in decline around the world, undermined by problems ranging from restrictions on freedom of expression to distrust in the legitimacy of elections. This decline comes as elected leaders face unprecedented challenges from Russia’s war in Ukraine, cost of living crises, a looming global recession and climate change. But Seema also finds some grounds for optimism.

In our first episode of the new season of Peer-to-Peer, we speak with Sarah Birch and Jeff Fischer to learn more about the effect of wildfires on elections in California. The conversation is based on an International IDEA case study that focuses on the impact of wildfires on the 2016 and 2018 electoral cycles but also on the steps taken by election administrators to protecting elections. The discussion also centres on the increased vulnerability of the United States and its election cycles to climate change effects. 

Guests: Sarah Birch is a professor of Political Science at King’s College London, Jeff Fischer is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Democracy and Civil Society as well as a consultant on election administration. 

Hosts: Heidi Park and Erik Asplund 

Background reading: 

Wildfires and Elections in California – Case Study 

Wildfires, Hurricanes, Floods and Earthquakes: How Elections are Impacted by Natural Hazards 

The Impact of Natural Hazards on Elections 

How hurricanes threaten U.S. elections and why more flexible voting is needed 

This season, International IDEA will explore the effects of climate change in the form of extreme weather events, as well as other natural hazards, that cause both slow and rapid onset disasters, on the implementation of elections. Natural hazards can cause elections to be postponed, impact electoral operations, affect campaigns, and voter turnout. With evidence that climate change may cause extreme weather events to become more intense and common, election practitioners must begin to prepare contingency plans and train staff on implementing elections after a disaster. 

Through interviews with academics and practitioners, we will explore different cases where a country was affected by a natural hazard with an election in the horizon that needed to be implemented. Throughout this season, we will explore and consider various questions on how to protect the integrity of elections and continuation of the democratic process after a crisis. What are the common challenges faced by electoral management bodies after the wake of a disaster? How did practitioners adapt to ensure that citizens could vote safely? What type of legal measures and special voting arrangements were put into place to ensure that those who were displaced could send in their ballots? What type of assistance is necessary for protecting the integrity of elections before, during and after a crisis?  

To find more information, please visit our page on natural hazards and elections that includes our dashboard and longer case studies: https://www.idea.int/news-media/multimedia-reports/impact-natural-hazards-elections  

As well as a feature article that investigates the different ways natural hazards are impacting elections: https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/wildfires-hurricanes-floods-and-earthquakes-how-elections-are-impacted-natural 

Across Africa, civil society is using the courts to protect the environment from governments and companies. It is part of a wider campaign for climate justice in the continent that has brought together both elder and younger generations as well as social media. Lawyer and activist Lindlyn Moma has first-hand experience of the transformation happening on the ground.

Guest: Lindlyn Moma, Human Rights Lawyer and Environmental Activist

Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast. 

Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?

In the first 2022 episode of Peer-to-Peer podcast, hosts Erik Asplund and David Towriss examine how election education and training is conducted under Australia’s federal electoral management system. Their guides are Belinda Bennet, Director of the Australian Electoral Commission’s National Training and Education Unit, and Andrew Hawkey, Electoral Commissioner at the Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 

From Belinda and Andrew we hear how Australia’s federal and state electoral management bodies work together to share innovations and best practice, the importance they place on training and developing their permanent staff and how they engage young voters of tomorrow.

• National Training and Education Unit - Australian Electoral Commission 
• National Electoral Education Centre - Australian Electoral Commission 
• Running Local Elections During the COVID-19 Crisis: Queensland, Australia

Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast. 

Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot? 

In episode #4 of Peer-to-Peer we take a deep dive into electoral training in Nigeria during the Covid-19 pandemic. With Ibrahim Sani, Director of Research at the Independent National Election Commission of Nigeria (INEC), David Towriss discusses the issues INEC had to address when early in the pandemic it prepared for gubernatorial elections in two of its states. 

What new responsibilities would poll workers have to assume? What changes would have to be made to the training curricula? How would the delivery of training have to change?

Ibrahim explains how INEC answered these questions and shares its experience of implementing those solutions.   

• Nigerian State Elections during the Covid-19 Pandemic: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/nigerian-state-elections-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-en.pdf 
• Electoral Training and Education: The Case of the Electoral Institute in Nigeria: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/multimedia_reports/electoral-training-and-education-the-case-of-the-electoral-institute-in-nigeria-case-en.pdf 

Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast. 

Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?  

At Peer-to-Peer episode #3, Erik Asplund and David Towriss explore the pioneering electoral training education carried out by the Association of Electoral Administrators within UK’s decentralized system of election administration.

In conversation with the Association’s Chief Executive Peter Stanyon, they learn how this independent, membership-based organization provides training support to the electoral officers at the heart of UK electoral administration and how their professional electoral administration qualification has become a staple across the country. Peter also reflects on the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had upon the Association’s training delivery in the lead up to the UK’s local elections in May 2021.               

More information on the Association of Electoral Administrators: https://www.aea-elections.co.uk/

Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.

Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?

In episode #2 of Peer-to-Peer, Erik Asplund and David Towriss are guided through electoral education and training in Moldova by the Director of the Centre for Continuous Electoral Training, Doina Bordeianu and her predecessor in that role, Natalia Iuras. 

Doina and Natalia talk about the growing importance of e-learning and what they have done to overcome the interactive challenges that this form of training delivery poses. They also share some of the innovative civic education programmes that the Centre has developed ahead of the 2021 Parliamentary elections and explain why this part of it’s mandate is so important.