Electoral Law
Clear legal frameworks are essential for the protection of fundamental suffrage rights, the design and implementation of effective electoral systems, and the efficient and transparent management of elections. Drawing on international law, best practices and comparative experience, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) works globally with local partners in the design and reform of electoral systems and the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern their implementation – ultimately promoting the effectiveness and credibility of democratic institutions and processes.
As a learning organization, IFES has an internal Knowledge Management Initiative Working Group on Electoral Integrity, Law and Anti-Corruption to help grow the research, tools and technical expertise we offer our partners worldwide.
Related Experts See All IFES Experts
Vice President, Global Strategy and Technical Leadership
Director, Center for Applied Research and Learning
Senior Global Advisor, Legal
Related Content
16 Feb 2016 | News and Updates
IFES is playing an integral role in revising and expanding Tunisia's existing electoral law by providing support on electoral legislative reforms to enhance the effectiveness and credibility of...
10 Feb 2016 | Multimedia
As more African countries prepare for presidential polls in the new year, representatives from the National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES),...
12 Jan 2016 | News and Updates
Persons with disabilities around the world encounter barriers to their political participation, and countries like Georgia are taking steps toward more inclusive policies and practices. In December...
7 Oct 2015 | News and Updates
On September 29, 2015, IFES, in collaboration with Tunisia’s Administrative Tribunal and with support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affair, organized a workshop on the electoral...
8 Jul 2015 | News and Updates
At conference hosted by Brazil's Superior Electoral Court, IFES Senior Political Finance Adviser Magnus Ohman discussed the different ways public funding is regulated and implemented...
7 May 2015 | News and Updates
The General Election Network for Disability Access in Southeast Asia (AGENDA) conducted monitoring activities during Indonesia’s 2014 presidential election to evaluate the accessibility of the...
22 Apr 2015 | News and Updates
In April 2015, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) released a report assessing the legal framework of campaign finance mechanisms for the 2014 legislative and presidential...
21 Apr 2015 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and Democracy International (DI) have released a new joint white paper that identifies best practices for election audits in developing...
15 Apr 2015 | News and Updates
On December 21, 2014, Tunisian citizens cast their ballots in the second round of the presidential elections; the third and final election of the 2014 electoral period. The first election was held on...
31 Mar 2015 | News and Updates
On March 28, Nigerians went to the polls and voted decisively for change. Opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari won approximately 52 percent of the vote to defeat incumbent President Goodluck...
15 Jan 2015 | News and Updates
Elections, as well as the issues and debates of electoral campaigns, provide insight into the responsiveness and resiliency of political systems and offer a convenient measure of the practice of...
17 Nov 2014 | Publication
IFES conducted the first systematic nationwide survey of its kind in the Maldives. The survey was conducted to measure the prevalence of vote buying in the Maldives during the March 2014...
17 Oct 2014 | Multimedia
For international and domestic observers of the 2014 early parliamentary elections IFES produced a video that consists of six separate chapters that cover issues such as the rights and...
9 Sep 2014 | News and Updates
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on September 8 in order to further cooperation on...
13 Aug 2014 | Publication
The 2014 Hybl fellow is Megan Hauser, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona. Her research at IFES explored elections in non-democratic hybrid...
17 Jul 2014 | Publication
Burundi is one of few countries in the world to have adopted a gender quota for its legislature in an effort to promote the inclusion and participation of women in the political process. As such, it...
19 Jun 2014 | News and Updates
In November 2013, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) conducted a comprehensive electoral integrity assessment in Pakistan, in cooperation with the Election Commission of...
21 May 2014 | News and Updates
As Ukraine prepares for early presidential elections on May 25, IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney traveled to the country. Through this feature, he shares his experiences leading up to the historic...
14 May 2014 | Publication
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) briefing paper Egypt’s 2014 Presidential Election Law provides expert insight into the legal framework that governs Egypt's...
19 Feb 2014 | News and Updates
Egypt’s January 2014 constitutional referendum process faced heavy scrutiny. The much-watched poll took place amid an aggressive crackdown on political dissent following the ouster of President...
11 Oct 2013 | Publication
Elections in Egypt: The Electoral Framework in Egypt’s Continuing Transition, examines Egypt’s new roadmap toward democracy, analyzing changes to the broader electoral framework in Egypt since...
10 Oct 2013 | Publication
In August 2012, IFES Senior Political Finance Adviser Magnus Ohman performed an analysis of the regulatory framework governing campaign finance in Ukraine. His report assesses the compliance of...
30 Sep 2013 | Publication
Ukraine’s current Presidential Election Law was adopted in 1999 and has been amended a number of times since then, most significantly in 2004 and 2009. Since then, it has been criticized by...
30 Sep 2013 | Publication
Financing Politics: The Middle East and North Africa is a collaborative effort between the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Arab Region Parliamentarians against...
30 Jun 2013 | Publication
Following the 2010 local elections in Ukraine, observers were critical of the Law on Local Elections, which many believed facilitated irregularities in the poll. This paper reviews the Law on Local...
6 Jun 2013 | Multimedia
Credible, transparent elections are critical to ensuring the voices of all citizens are heard. Building safeguards against fraud is integral to establishing a trustworthy electoral process. In this...
21 Mar 2013 | Publication
Money in politics, or political finance, is linked to key aspects of any modern society. Management of political finance is necessary for credible and genuine elections and electoral campaigns...
16 Nov 2012 | Publication
This primer provides an overview of all aspects of the American electoral process, from how campaigns are conducted to the mechanics of the voting process.
15 Nov 2012 | Publication
This paper provides a summary of the Law on National Referendums recently passed by the Ukrainian Parliament, as well as commentary on the legislation.
16 Oct 2012 | Publication
IFES conducted a pre-election technical assessment in Ukraine which analyzed legal, technical and procedural aspects of the election process.
5 Oct 2012 | News and Updates
IFES’ 2012 Hybl Fellow Geoffrey Macdonald, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Denver, is exploring how electoral system design and party rules incentivize ethnic groups to form political...
12 Sep 2012 | Multimedia
Stakeholders gather to discuss electoral, management and logistical issues from recent election.
9 Aug 2012 | Publication
Egyptian electoral systems underwent several significant changes in the lead-up to the 2011-2012 parliamentary and presidential elections.
12 May 2012 | Multimedia
On May 10, 2010 Filipinos went to the polls to cast ballots for president, vice-president, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors and other key offices in their national and local election. For...
9 May 2012 | Publication
In the third white paper in an ongoing series on electoral fraud, IFES presents a set of practical definitions that will help election managers, experts and observers to accurately identify and...
9 Mar 2012 | Multimedia
As Zimbabwe’s Unity Government marks its third anniversary, Staffan Darnolf, IFES Chief of Party in Zimbabwe, tells us where the government stands on fulfilling the agreement that brought it into...
6 Mar 2012 | Publication
Now that Yemen's former Vice President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Al-Hadi has been officially voted in as president of the republic, what are the next steps in Yemen's transition?
27 Feb 2012 | Publication
The difficulties the ISIE and other stakeholders experienced in enforcing campaign finance regulations were aggravated by both a lack of expertise and the shortcomings of the Decree law No 35 on...
14 Feb 2012 | Election Material
In December 2011, Ukraine adopted a new parliamentary electoral law. Among other things, the law introduced a new electoral system, under which half of the country’s deputies would be elected in...
14 Feb 2012 | Election Material
In December 2011, Ukraine adopted a new parliamentary electoral law. Among other things, the law introduced a new electoral system, under which half of the country’s deputies would be elected in...
14 Feb 2012 | Election Material
In December 2011, Ukraine adopted a new parliamentary electoral law. Among other things, the law introduced a new electoral system, under which half of the country’s deputies would be elected in...
1 Nov 2011 | Publication
Analysis of Egypt’s 2011 Parliamentary Electoral System provides insight into the election laws regulating parliamentary elections in Egypt.
24 Oct 2011 | Multimedia
Tunisia held the country’s first free and fair election on 23 October. Millions of Tunisians went to the polls to cast their ballots for the National Constituent Assembly, which will have one year...
19 Oct 2011 | Publication
IFES has released an updated and expanded list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the 23 October election for a National Constituent Assembly, the body that will be charged with writing a...
26 Sep 2011 | Publication
Upon conclusion of the working group meetings this spring, the Ministry of Justice put forward a draft parliamentary election law. In June of this year, the Ministry formally requested that IFES...
19 Sep 2011 | Publication
On October 30, 2011, Kyrgyzstan will hold its first presidential election since the momentous constitutional referendum in June 2010 that established the first parliamentary system in Central Asia...
12 Sep 2011 | News and Updates
Ukrainians have a more pessimistic view of their country’s future now than a year ago, with more than half saying they believe Ukraine is on a path toward instability, according to a survey...
22 Aug 2011 | Election Material
In May 2011, the Ukrainian government presented draft parliamentary election law.
17 Aug 2011 | Publication
As Egypt prepares for parliamentary elections under newly amended electoral laws, it is important to understand the ongoing changes to the electoral framework and the impact these changes will have...
27 Jul 2011 | Publication
The purpose of this report is to give a brief analysis of the Law on Political Financing which was published in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia” on 14 June 2011. In addition,...
7 Jun 2011 | Publication
IFES’ latest briefing paper on Yemen offers a snapshot of where things are now, potential areas of improvement in the electoral framework and steps to consider if President Saleh steps down.