Reply #6: State Dept: Election Monitoring Shows Commitment to Democracy [View All]

[EFerrari]

Election Monitoring Shows Commitment to Democracy

Preventing election fraud and building confidence subjects of online discussion

By Carolee Walker
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington – Effective, rigorous and principled election administration and monitoring can help address the continuing challenge of building genuine democracy around the world, said Eric Bjornlund, a lawyer and international development professional, in a Democracy Dialogues webchat August 1.

“Election monitoring contributes to the quality and integrity of elections by deterring or exposing fraud and building public confidence,” Bjornlund said.

Since the 1980s, international and domestic election monitoring has grown as a check on whether elections, especially in transitional or post-conflict nations, are free and fair. International election observation also demonstrates international commitment to democracy, Bjornland said. In addition to serving similar goals, nonpartisan domestic election monitoring in emerging democracies mobilizes civil society and builds social networks necessary to the consolidation of real democracy, he said.

Bjornlund is co-founder and president of Democracy International, a firm that provides technical assistance for governance programs worldwide. He serves as senior technical adviser for elections and political processes and governance analytical services. He is author of the book Beyond Free and Fair: Monitoring Elections and Building Democracy.

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=August&x=20060802140351bcreklaw0.940838&chanlid=democracy


Just not in Ohio, right Condi?