Zambians went to the polls on Sept. 20 to vote in presidential, parliamentary and local elections. The Civil Society Election Coalition (CSEC), made up of eight civil society groups, fielded election monitors across the country to observe the electoral process before, during and after the vote. The group issued a preliminary statement on the voting process, finding the election process, while not perfect, was generally smooth and peaceful.

Following coups in 2005 and 2008 and faced with youth protests against government policies perceived as racist, upcoming elections in Mauritania offer an opportunity for the country to show its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional law. But measures to increase transparency and participation will need to be enacted first for the public to have confidence in the results, according to a pre-election assessment by NDI.

Six citizen election observer groups in Côte d’Ivoire have agreed to coordinate their efforts during upcoming legislative elections, marking the first time there has been such cooperation in the West African country.  The decision emerged from a conference held last month in Abidjan on the impact of election observation in diminishing election-related violence.