2013 Joe C. Baxter Award Presented to Dr. Elklit
Dr. Jørgen Elklit Receives Award for Excellence in Electoral Administration
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) presented Dr. Jørgen Elklit, Professor of Political Science and Government at Aarhus University, Denmark, with the 2013 Joe C. Baxter Award. The award is given annually to an election practitioner committed to the principles of local ownership, transparency and sustainability of electoral administration.
“On behalf of IFES, I am proud to present Dr. Jørgen Elklit with the 2013 Joe C. Baxter Award. Dr. Elklit has set the standard for the investigation and practice of effective election management and electoral integrity,” said IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney. “Dr. Elklit’s devotion, over 30 years, to promoting good governance in volatile and transitioning societies is exemplary. It is indeed a privilege to recognize Dr. Elklit with the Baxter Award.”
Dr. Elklit has worked to advance the field of election administration through original research and scholarly collaboration. He has advised struggling countries worldwide to build credible and democratic political systems and institutions. Most recently, he has served as a valuable reviewer and proponent of IFES’ emerging electoral integrity typology and methodology, which distinguishes between and among fraud, malpractice and systemic manipulation. His continuous efforts and dedication for positive change make him the perfect recipient of the Joe C. Baxter Award.
"One pillar of democracy is elections characterized by integrity, credibility and inclusiveness. Such elections are being continuously promoted by the work of IFES and I'm, therefore, very proud to have my own work in this field recognized by IFES through the award carrying the name of eminent Joe C. Baxter,” said Dr. Elklit.
Dr. Elklit received the award on March 10th at a reception in Washington, D.C.
The Baxter Award is given in memory of longtime IFES employee Joe C. Baxter, who directed IFES’ work in Ghana and was respected internationally for his expertise and commitment to promoting democratic rights. Previous recipients include former Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Christian S. Monsod, campaign finance expert Delia Ferreira Rubio, Ghanaian electoral commission Chairman Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, and elections expert Rafael López-Pintor.
Read remarks as prepared for delivery by Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Takesøe-Jensen introducing the recipient of the 2013 Joe C. Baxter Award Dr. Elklit.
Read Dr. Elklit's acceptance speech.
Watch video of the 2013 Joe C. Baxter Award Cermony.
See photos of the 2013 Joe C. Baxter Award Ceremony.
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As the global leader in democracy promotion, IFES advances good governance and democratic rights by providing technical assistance to election officials; empowering the underrepresented to participate in the political process; and applying field-based research to improve the electoral cycle. Since 1987, IFES has worked in over 135 countries, from developing democracies, to mature democracies. For more information, visit www.IFES.org.
