Latest content: Promoting Democracy

On 11 March 2020, the Acting Chief Justice of Guyana was unambiguous that public and transparent tabulation of the Statement of Polls is required to ensure the credibility of the process and address continued contentions regarding the tabulation and declaration of election results.

The international election observation missions in Guyana are deeply concerned about the continued lack of transparency in the ascertainment of results for Region 4.

The international election observer missions from the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, the European Union, and The Carter Center have issued a joint statement.

Technology brings both benefit and risk to elections – but there are solutions that can defend the process from cybersecurity threats.

Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) have been present at the Office of the Returning Officer, Region 4 in Georgetown over the last 24 hours.

The Commonwealth Observer Group to the Guyana General and Regional Elections has found that the polling on 2 March was “orderly and transparent”, while also highlighting the urgent need for reform.

A Commonwealth election observer group led by the former Prime Minister of Barbados Owen Arthur is in Guyana to observe the upcoming general and regional elections.

The Commonwealth will observe the upcoming General and Regional Elections in Guyana, scheduled for 2 March.

Electoral officials from across the Caribbean are attending a Commonwealth-sponsored masterclass on holding efficient, credible and inclusive elections.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has called on Malawians to respect the judgement delivered by its Constitutional Court on the petition challenging the outcome of the general election held on 21 May.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the Bougainville Referendum, Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati, has issued a Preliminary Statement concluding that the referendum process was credible, transparent and inclusive.

An independent Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) deployed in Dominica, has delivered its interim statement on the 2019 Dominica General Elections, stating the election results ‘reflect the collective will of the people who voted.’ 

As Election Day approaches in Dominica, the Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), is encouraging ‘peaceful elections.’

A Commonwealth Observation Group (COG) has arrived in Dominica to observe the upcoming elections. The COG arrived in the country on 27 November following an invitation from Dominica Prime Minister Hon Roosevelt Skerrit to observe general elections scheduled for Friday 6 December.

Namibia’s election on 27 November was carried out in a largely peaceful and orderly manner, according to an interim statement issued by the Commonwealth observers who were deployed to the country.

Senior officials from six election management bodies have gathered in Malaysia for a programme aimed at boosting electoral democracy in Commonwealth Asia.

A Commonwealth election observation group has arrived in Windhoek, Namibia for the presidential and national assembly elections scheduled for this Wednesday, 27 November 2019.

Voting has begun in a referendum on the independence of Bougainville from Papua New Guinea, with a team from the Commonwealth deployed to observe the process.

Commonwealth experts have provided training to senior officials from 15 election management bodies (EMBs) in the Asia-Pacific region to help protect electoral processes from cybersecurity threats.

Next week, the Commonwealth Election Professionals Initiative Asia Training Event will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this blog, Kele Lui talks about his experience of participating in the Pacific Training Event in September as Tokelau’s delegate, and why the programme is so valuable for Commonwealth election administrators.

The Commonwealth Observer Group has commended the people of Sri Lanka on a largely peaceful, credible and orderly election, but expressed concern that some groups experienced fear and intimidation. The Group stressed that a credible election must be inclusive, guaranteeing every citizen’s right to participate freely and safely in the process.

The Commonwealth will deploy a team to observe elections in Namibia, scheduled for 27 November 2019. Musa Mwenye, former Attorney General of Zambia, is leading the Group, which will observe the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Polling is under way in Sri Lanka's presidential election, with a Commonwealth team observing the process in six provinces. The 2019 presidential election is the eighth to be held in Sri Lanka and the first where no sitting president, prime minister or opposition leader is standing.

A group deployed by the Commonwealth to observe the presidential election in Sri Lanka has called on stakeholders to demonstrate commitment to a “peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive” poll.

The Commonwealth is deploying a team to observe the presidential election in Sri Lanka. A 10-member Commonwealth Observer Group led by Prosper Bani, former Ghanaian minister of interior, will observe the polls which take place on 16 November.