Bangladeshis voted enthusiastically and in large numbers in Dec. 29 parliamentary elections that were well-administered and conducted in an orderly fashion, according to the findings of an international observer delegation fielded by the National Democratic Institute.

Ghana’s Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), an NDI partner that monitored the Dec. 28 presidential runoff election, declared the runoff ‘largely in accordance with the electoral laws’ based on data collected from 1,000 polling stations around the country. CODEO reported a number of “problems and lapses” with the balloting but said they did not fundamentally undermine the integrity of the process.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jacqueline Corcoran, NDI Resident Country Director
[email protected], +880 (2) 988 3998; or
Kathy Gest, NDI Director of Public Affairs
[email protected], 202-728-5535

In anticipation of the 2008 U.S. elections, a delegation of North African political leaders took part in an NDI study mission to examine the U.S. election process and the mechanisms in place to safeguard the integrity of the polls. Participants included senior party representatives, journalists and academics from Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

The study mission gave the visitors a first-hand look at the extraordinary civic engagement and outreach techniques that preceded the election and produced a particularly large voter turnout.

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), an NDI partner, reported that its independent parallel vote tabulation (PVT) confirmed the Election Commission’s determination that a presidential runoff election is required in Ghana.  The National Democratic Party (NPP) candidate received more than 49 percent of the vote but was shy of the majority required, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate received over 47 percent of the vote. The NDC is leading the NPP slightly in the parliamentary election results with a small number of seats going to others.

Zambian voters went to the polls Oct. 30 to elect a successor to President Levy Mwanawasa, whose unexpected death last August prompted the special election. With technical assistance from NDI, the Foundation for Democratic Processes (FODEP), the Institute’s long-time election monitoring partner in Zambia, conducted a parallel vote tabulation (PVT) to evaluate the quality and accuracy of the tabulation process.

An NDI delegation has urged election officials in Bangladesh to ensure a more impartial electoral environment for parliamentary polls expected on Dec. 18. In a statement, the delegation called for relaxed restrictions on domestic election monitors, greater protection for minority voters, and the lifting of an ongoing state of emergency.

• Read pre-election delegation statement (*.pdf)

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Published on Nov. 19, 2008