Libyan Election Commissioners Observe United States General Elections
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) arranged a visit centered around the administration of the United States’ general elections for Dr. Emad Alsaiah, chairman of the Libyan High National Elections Commission (HNEC), and Mr. Salam Shrayef Bentahia, chairman of the Libyan Central Committee for Municipal Councils Elections (CCMCE).
During their visit, Alsaiah and Bentahia met with a variety of stakeholders to learn more about the United States’ electoral system, technology and security; visited several polling stations in the Washington, D.C., area on Election Day to observe the different voting procedures across counties and states; and attended IFES’ event, “Elections Under Threat? A Global Comparative Analysis of Cybersecurity of Elections.” The commissioners observed the use and deployment of technology in polling stations and voter registration and learned about the threats and opportunities associated with using cybervoting platforms. The commissioners also visited the Carter Center, where they discussed observation methodologies and the role of national and international election observation.
Alsaiah and Bentahia at a polling station
IFES has been working in Libya since 2012, and continues to engage with the HNEC, CCMCE, the Ministry of Education and various civil society organizations and stakeholders to provide technical support on elections procedures and voter outreach and engagement. Click here to learn more about IFES’ programming in Libya.
