Elections involve much more than organizing a single polling day. Instead they are a continuous process - a huge logistical exercise leading up to the vote, and also dealing with what happens afterwards.
International IDEA has just launched The Online Electoral Cycle, which is an interactive, customizable resource designed for people involved in elections and those who manage any stage in the electoral process. It allows users to identify what they want to achieve and to select solutions that are appropriate to their own situations.
The Online Electoral Cycle
This approach allows Electoral Management Bodies, assistance providers and others to look beyond Election Day and plan for everything that happens before, after and between elections, thereby strengthening all aspects of the electoral process.
Available as an interactive website or application, the online resource can be accessed from a smartphone, tablet or personal computer and no specific software is required. The tailored version can be saved on the user’s computer or exported to Excel.
This resource is an advance on the original Electoral Cycle, developed by International IDEA and the European Commission in 2005 (with the United Nations Development Programme joining later), to promote the concept that elections are not discrete events but continuous processes.
Abdiwahid Hussein is the Constituency Elections Coordinator for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in Likoni, Kenya. He also acts as voter registration officer and as returning officer during elections. He has used the resource to help him with media and elections facilitation, and reports it is ’spot on, interactive and very innovative.’
’It is also very useful for induction of new officers who want to have a quick grasp of issues on elections, electoral assistance or any particular area relating to their work. I would definitely enjoy using it in my work, especially in the upcoming by-elections and beyond.’
International IDEA will continue to build the resource in line with feedback from our partners. This will include adding links to further sources of information to make a ‘one-stop shop’ for EMBs and other users.
