| WORLD VOTE FIELD TEST |
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What would it take to apply the principle of “one person – one vote” to everyone on the planet? We have held 26 international field tests in every region of the planet to answer this question. This investigation involved close collaboration with Electoral Commissions, Government Ministries, Educational Institutions and Civil Society Organizations and we would like to thank them all for their invaluable contributions.
DEMOCRATIC REPUB LIC OF CONGO – Constitutional Referendum We observed the first national elections ever, in this vast country that has been ravaged by the bloodiest conflict since World War II. The close cooperation with COJESKI (Collectif des Organisations des Jeunes Solidaires du Congo-Kinshasa), allowed us to take a detailed look at what it means to build democracy from scratch. ELECTION OBSERVED
NIGERIA – Pilot Voting with Satellite Voting Machine Grass roots activists in action in Africa´s most populous country. We organized a pilot-voting program at the Nigerian Council of Arts and Culture with local NGOs including Lagos Digital Village, Base Network Africa, Development Partnership, Town Criers Limited and COSANA. In Abuja, the Satellite Voting Machine Prototype was formally presented to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). TEST VOTE
SENEGAL – Pilot Voting with Satellite Voting Machine How to reach people in areas with zero connectivity? The Satellite Voting Machine was used to hold a successful pilot-voting test in Alajipate Sou, in collaboration with INEADE (Institut national d’études et d’actions pour le développement de l´éducation) and Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar. TEST VOTE
KASHMIR, INDIA – Council Elections We observed the electoral process in district Poonch, situated directly on the militarized Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan. We met with the Chief Election Officer and local security officials and got a first-hand look at the challenges of voting in highly unstable security situations. ELECTION OBSERVED
PEOPLE´S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Can we include the world´s most populous country in a global referendum? We liaised with the Institute of World Economics and Politics, the Institute of Population Studies and Global Village of Beijing.
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN – Parliamentary Elections We observed the Parliamentary Elections with specific emphasis on the secrecy of vote, voter anonymity and voter fraud as well as the role of religion in the democratic process. Interviews with opposition and student activists as well as religious leaders and security officials of the Basij militia in Tehran and Qom. ELECTION OBSERVED
SULTANATE OF OMAN – Majlis Council Elections A private contractor built an entire national voting infrastructure from scratch here. We consulted with the General Director of the Oman Ministry of Interior, the Head of Election Preparatory Committee and with the project leader Bahwan IT. ELECTION OBSERVED
EGYPT – Shura Council Elections We observed electoral process with specific focus on analyzing freedom of speech issues and the prohibition of political parties and candidates. ELECTION OBSERVED
BORNEO, INDONESIA – Village Democracy We observed traditional village voting in the remote village of Long Lamcin in the Borneo rainforest and assessed the transition from dictatorship to democracy with the Jakarta based think-tank LP3ES. TEST VOTE
GUATEMALA – Presidential Elections With over 40 political assassinations and wide-spread violence in the run-up to the elections, we focused on the security situation and corruption here. ELECTIONS OBSERVED
BRAZIL – Extreme Poverty and Democracy We explored the lack of democracy in the favelas of Salvador de Bahia and analyzed the effect of extreme poverty in civic participation with a specific focus on voter education programs sponsored by the government such as CASA Brazil as well as those organized by NGOs such as Associacion Educative y Cultural DIDA and radio station Educadora FM.
VENEZUELA - Constitutional Referendum Democratic revolution? What does that mean? We observed the election process by liaising with the Consejo Nacional Electoral, the Fuerza Socialista Bolivariana de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras and with journalists associated with the opposition. ELECTION OBSERVED
RUSSIAN FEDERATION – Presidential Elections We observed the election process in Novosibirsk, Siberia with a special focus on transparency issues in remote regions and the manipulation of election results. ELECTION OBSERVED
SERBIA – Presidential Elections Does the transition from dictatorship to democracy have an effect on regional stability? ELECTION OBSERVED
TURKEY – Constitutional Referendum What effect oes the EU accession process have on the standard of living and human rights? We liaised with the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV), political watchdog TUMICOM and the Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly, Istanbul. ELECTION OBSERVED
NEW YORK, USA – United Nations Does the UN run on democratic principles?
NORTH CAROLINA, USA - Presidential Primary Nobody would have imagined these election results just a generation ago. But real change happen? ELECTION OBSERVED
SOUTH KOREA - Presidential Elections Why does one of the most wired countries on the planet stillrely on a paper ballot? ELECTIONS OBSERVED
JAPAN What role does technology play in a global referendum? We liaised with International Peace Research Association, the Hiroshima University Department of International Politics and the Institute for Future Technology.
CAMBRIDGE, UK – Satellite Voting Machine The construction of a Satellite Voting Machine prototype with the staff of engineers and programmers of the Cambridge based Tech-NGO Aptivate.
Additional field tests were held in TAIWAN, SPAIN, ITALY, FINLAND, BELGIUM, FRANCE and SWITZERLAND. |
