Americas
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has been developing and implementing programs in the Americas region since its foundation, in 1987. Working together with government officials, electoral management bodies, and civil society organizations, our projects have achieved significant success in promoting transparency and accountability in electoral processes, as well as in increasing civic engagement and the inclusion of marginalized groups in political life. Through activities that range from the assessment of electoral operations procedures and technical assistance with tabulation of results to the organization of voter education campaigns, IFES is supporting sustainable improvements to democratic institutions throughout the Americas. It is also an important part of IFES’ mission in the region to support greater horizontal cooperation and peer-to-peer exchange among democratic institutions.
To learn more about our current projects in the region, please visit our country pages.
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Regional Director, Americas
Related Content
18 Nov 2016 | Election FAQ
On November 20, 2016, Haitian citizens will head to the polls to elect the President and members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Haiti is repeating its October 25, 2015 presidential...
29 Sep 2016 | Publication
In 2016, the Ruderman Foundation published a white paper on the barriers that exist to electoral access for persons with disabilities in the United States. Download the full report here.
10 Aug 2016 | News and Updates
To mark International Youth Day 2016, the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) reaffirms its commitment to supporting inclusive and meaningful global youth engagement...
2 Aug 2016 | News and Updates
Through the “Elections: More Inclusion, Less Violence” project implemented by the Consortium for Electoral and Political Processes (CEPPS), IFES provided technical assistance to the Supreme Electoral...
25 Jul 2016 | News and Updates
On July 26, 1990, the United States passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark law increasing access to basic rights for persons with disabilities in the country. The ADA’s passage...
17 May 2016 | News and Updates
The Global Disability RightsNow! consortium, which the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is a member, is launching a new resource website for disability rights advocates in...
13 May 2016 | Election FAQ
On May 15, Dominicans will head to the polls to elect their next President and Vice President; 32 Senators and 190 members of the Chamber of Deputies; 20 Representatives to the Central American...
15 Apr 2016 | News and Updates
Saskatchewan, a large prairie province in central Canada, is home to more than 180,000 persons with disabilities. Elections Saskatchewan – which is responsible for managing the province’s elections...
12 Apr 2016 | News and Updates
On April 4, 2016, voters in Saskatchewan, Canada went to the polls to elect 61 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to represent their constituencies on the provincial level. IFES was...
22 Jan 2016 | Election FAQ
On January 24, Haiti will hold run-off presidential and partial second-round legislative elections. These elections were originally scheduled for December 27, 2015, but were postponed by the...
19 Jan 2016 | Multimedia
After the first round of elections in September, the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) members recorded a podcast with Eduardo Núñez, National Democratic...
16 Dec 2015 | News and Updates
For nearly three decades, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has been at the forefront of promoting democracy, compelled by a vision of a world in which strong democratic...
14 Dec 2015 | Multimedia
The past year saw a slew of important elections across the globe. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) was engaged with election commissions, civil society and a variety of other...
4 Dec 2015 | Election FAQ
On December 6, Venezuelans will go to the polls to elect Representatives to the 167-member National Assembly. These are the fourth National Assembly elections since the legislative body was...
24 Nov 2015 | News and Updates
On October 25, 2015, Haitian citizens returned to the polls for the second time this year to elect the President of Republic and members of the Senate, Chamber of Deputies, and municipal governments...
23 Nov 2015 | News and Updates
At a training hosted in Mexico City from October 26-30, 2015, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) joined RightsNow! consortium partners and the Mexican Coalition for People with...
10 Nov 2015 | Multimedia
Guatemalan citizens headed to the polls in September and October 2015 to elect a new President, Vice President, Congress and other state and municipal leaders. The general elections took place...
4 Nov 2015 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) professional culture is to remain in the background, as election management bodies (EMBs) are both our client and partner. Ultimately, we...
2 Nov 2015 | News and Updates
Building on the success of a pilot observation held in Port-au-Prince during Haiti’s legislative elections in August, a second observation was expanded to six different cities for the country’s...
23 Oct 2015 | Election FAQ
On October 25, 2015, Haitian citizens will return to the polls for the second time this year to elect the President and members of the Senate, Chamber of Deputies, and municipal governments.
8 Oct 2015 | News and Updates
Lors des élections législatives tenues le 9 Août 2015, une équipe pilote de 30 handicapés Haïtiens a mené la première observation d'accès électorale dans 15 bureaux de vote à travers l’aire...
23 Sep 2015 | Multimedia
Amid a tense political scene, Guatemalans went to the polls on September 6 for general elections, voting for President and Vice President, Representatives to the Guatemalan Congress and the Central...
22 Sep 2015 | News and Updates
On September 18, 2015, IFES Vice President of Programs Michael Svetlik participated in “Democratic Elections in Latin America,” the latest installment of Congressman Sam Farr’s (D-Calif.) “...
2 Sep 2015 | News and Updates
During the legislative elections held on August 9, 2015, a pilot team of 30 Haitians with disabilities conducted Haiti’s first election access observation at 15 polling stations across the city of...
2 Sep 2015 | Election FAQ
Amid a tense political scene, Guatemalans will got to the polls on September 6 for general elections, voting for President and Vice President, Representatives to the Guatemalan Congress and the...
31 Aug 2015 | Multimedia
In this podcast, Jessica discusses her recent trip to Haiti to attend the launch of the National Gender and Election Strategy.
6 Aug 2015 | Election FAQ
On August 9, Haitians citizens will elect two-thirds of the 30-member Senate and all 119 members of the Chamber of Deputies, which together compose the country’s bicameral Parliament.
4 Aug 2015 | News and Updates
As Haiti prepares to hold national elections on August 9, 2015, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Haiti’s provisional election management body (EMB), has made gender equality and women’s...
16 Jul 2015 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will honor former Chairman Attahiru Jega of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi...
9 Jul 2015 | News and Updates
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Guatemala has launched its 2015 elections website with information for voters on the electoral process and voting procedures.
2 Jun 2015 | Election FAQ
On June 7, Mexican citizens will head to the polls to elect 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of Congress), state legislatures, local councils and Governors in some states.
1 Jun 2015 | News and Updates
After consultation with key national and international stakeholders, Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has developed the country’s first national gender and elections strategy with support...
7 May 2015 | News and Updates
Amid a deep political crisis leading into September 2015 general elections, Guatemala's Supreme Electoral Tribunal has sough to enforce campaign finance regulations, counter political violence and...
20 Feb 2015 | News and Updates
The following is a statement by Bill Sweeney, President and CEO of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), regarding the arrest and intimidation of several Venezuelan opposition...
19 Feb 2015 | Multimedia
An informed citizenry is crucial for a vibrant and resilient democracy. IFES engages in a variety of civic education activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, including informing voters of their...
18 Dec 2014 | Multimedia
Election officials and disabilities rights organizations are working to break down barriers in Latin America and Haiti. In this video, IFES Inclusion Coordinator Anais Keenon interviewed Pamela...
18 Dec 2014 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) co-organized the first conference focused solely on electoral rights of persons with disabilities in Haiti.
2 Dec 2014 | News and Updates
WASHINGTON — (December 2, 2014) — The following is a statement by Bill Sweeney, President and CEO of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), regarding an order issued...
10 Nov 2014 | Multimedia
IFES hosted the 2014 U.S. Election Program which featured lively presentations and discussions about the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the U.S. electoral system. Watch the videos of the main...
7 Nov 2014 | Multimedia
For almost three decades, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has supported citizens’ rights to participate in free and fair elections around the globe. Since 1992, IFES...
6 Nov 2014 | News and Updates
From November 2-5, 2014, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) gathered nearly 150 participants from 55 countries for the 2014 U.S. Election Program (USEP). This year’s USEP was...
16 Oct 2014 | Multimedia
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is proud to announce the winners of its 2014 Photo Contest, highlighting the importance of democracy by capturing images from around the...
16 Oct 2014 | News and Updates
On October 1, 2014, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) hosted the fifth annual Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards dinner. This year’s awardees included Venezuelan opposition...
2 Oct 2014 | Multimedia
On October 1, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) celebrated its fifth annual Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards with a gala dinner and ceremony at the Washington, D.C. Marriott...
2 Oct 2014 | Multimedia
In a recorded message, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado accepted the 2014 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award and discussed the state of democracy in Venezuela.
9 Sep 2014 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is proud to announce our participation in a new disability rights consortium led by Mobility International USA (MIUSA).
8 Sep 2014 | Multimedia
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on September 8 to further cooperation on electoral...
21 Aug 2014 | Multimedia
The London Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) of Ontario, Canada is comprised of young people who are elected to their positions by the general public. Each councilor represents a ward, or region, of the...
31 Jul 2014 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is pleased to announce the election of former Senator Wayne Allard, Thomas A. “Tad” Devine, Ambassador William Eacho and Dr....
31 Jul 2014 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will honor Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) with its 2014 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards. The Fifth...
30 Jul 2014 | News and Updates
The following is a statement by U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in the Congressional Record recognizing 2014 Democracy Award Recipient Maria Corina Machado.