El Salvador

El Salvador’s 2024 general elections promise to be pivotal in defining the country’s future. IFES is supporting Salvadoran election authorities in capacity building ahead of the elections and stimulating dialogue to engage local civil society and encourage broader civic participation. IFES began work with El Salvador in 2003 as part of its “Global Initiative to Enfranchise Citizens with Disabilities” campaign and has since built out a local team of experts across a diverse portfolio of projects devoted to strengthening civic engagement and election integrity in El Salvador.

In the run-up to the February 2021 legislative election, IFES assisted the Salvadoran electoral body in boosting confidence in elections and democracy. Now, during this post-2021 electoral period and upcoming 2024 election cycle, IFES recognizes a window of opportunity for El Salvador to protect and consolidate its democratic system. IFES is working alongside the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (Tribunal Supremo Electoral, TSE) to build its long-term capacity to implement electoral integrity initiatives. IFES will support the TSE in enhancing its vote count and results transmission systems, elaborating out-of-country voting processes and increasing dialogue with Salvadoran civil society. IFES will also support the TSE on a modernization project that will evaluate and update its organizational structure and use of technology as well as design and implement an updated communications strategy. In addition to streamlining internal processes and digitalizing logistical and technical components of the electoral process, this project will support the TSE in implementing the necessary changes to ensure the TSE can continue to build upon the changes in the future.