The Nigerian Daily | Link to story  »

In Liberia, they are concentrating on activities aimed towards peace building and have come out with two separate societies, which are the National Committee for Elections Monitoring (NACEM) and the Civil Society Network (CSM) with support from National Democratic Institute (NDI) to monitor the elections.

Voice of America | Link to story  »

Meanwhile, the election observer Nicfec and the National Democratic Institute said in a report they had found evidence in some communes of people being registered without documentation and that not all registration sites were open as late as they should be.

Phnom Penh Post | Link to story »

Laura Thornton, country director for the National Democratic Institute, which supported the NICFEC in implementing the study, said that the findings “weren’t surprising”.

“We find the annual process of voter registration quite cumbersome for Cambodians,” she said. She also said it was “problematic” to place responsibility for voter registration in the hands of the commune council, an elected body.

Voice of America | Link to story »

Christopher Fomunyoh is West and Central Africa director for the Washington-based National Democratic Institute. He says a trustworthy voter list is one way to protect elections.

Kyiv Post | Link to story »

Overall, the bill in its current form appears likely to reduce opportunities for “fair and equal competition among electoral contestants” and is being drafted in a “non-inclusive, non-transparent and non-accountable” manner, said Kristina Wilfore, who heads the US-funded National Democratic Institute in Ukraine.

The Financial | Link to story »

Eight presidential candidates in Kyrgyzstan today signed a Code of Conduct for Elections that was developed with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

Voice of America | Link to story »

Some analysts see hope that the elections, while restrictive, are at least a needed first boost. Staci Haag, Gulf regional director for the National Democratic Institute, says the Saudi vote, like other regional polls, is an important stepping-stone to greater democracy.