Durable Trust
A Strategic Communications Framework for Electoral Management Bodies
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is proud to release “Durable Trust: A Strategic Communications Framework for Electoral Management Bodies.”
Electoral management bodies (EMBs) around the world operate in environments of heightened scrutiny, declining trust in public institutions, rapid information flows and increasing volumes of misinformation and disinformation. In this context, strategic communications can no longer be treated as an auxiliary or reactive function. It is a core institutional responsibility that directly affects electoral integrity, public confidence and the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.
The framework is organized around seven interrelated capabilities for EMBs’ strategic communications:
- Institutional positioning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Public dialogue and participation
- Narrative and message strategy
- Information integrity management
- Digital communication strategy
- Crisis and risk communication
Together, these dimensions establish a coherent foundation for how EMBs communicate, internally and externally, and before, during and after electoral events.
