What We Do
As a global leader in democracy promotion, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) engages with critical issues in democracy, governance and elections around the world. From programming aimed at ensuring electoral integrity and accountability to efforts to empower underrepresented populations, such as persons with disabilities, women and youth, to participate in electoral and political processes, IFES is at the forefront of innovative work to provide citizens around the world with the fundamental human right to have a say in how they are governed. Our research and surveys build on this work and aim to improve the electoral cycle in order to build sustainable democracy.
Consortium for Elections and Political Processes Strengthening (CEPPS)
CEPPS is composed of three equal partners: IFES, the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute. CEPPS allows IFES to carry out cost-effective global and regional programming to respond to new challenges in strengthening electoral and political processes. Learn more about CEPPS.
Related Content
30 Apr 2021 | Publication
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) held elections for the House of Assembly on February 19, 2021. At the invitation of the TCI governor and funded by the UK government, an independent team of...
30 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
To empower elected women with the skills and knowledge to fulfill their roles as community leaders, IFES and the Center for Dalit Women Nepal launched “She Leads” trainings in February 2021.
23 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
In collaboration with the Special Talent Exchange Program and Nepal Disabled Women Association, IFES held a South Asia regional conference that brought together nearly 100 women with disabilities who...
22 Apr 2021 | Publication
A new study from IFES focuses on the different practices that EMBs have implemented on the African continent to include traditionally underrepresented voters, such as women and persons with...
21 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
Waugh will work closely with regional teams and field offices to implement IFES’ approach to gender equality and women’s empowerment and provide strategic vision and leadership for IFES’ gender...
20 Apr 2021 | Election FAQ
On Sunday, April 25, Albanian voters will go to the polls for parliamentary elections. The elections are critical for Albania’s European future due to ongoing efforts in the European Union accession...
16 Apr 2021 | Publication
IFES used its Technical Election Assessment Mission (TEAM) methodology to assess the core areas of the electoral process in Serbia.
14 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
Election disputes are a natural outgrowth of the electoral process, and having mechanisms to properly and fairly consider those disputes is vital to electoral integrity. The International Foundation...
13 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
IFES developed the New Tech Inclusive Democracy Exhibit to teach visitors about democracy and elections in an accessible manner.
13 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
Together the Global Cyber Alliance and IFES will scale and amplify projects to advance secure elections and democracy and make participation safer for everyone.
13 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
On March 25, IFES’ Regional Europe Office organized a webinar to reflect on the greatest challenges and lessons learned from the pandemic’s impact on democratic resilience in Europe.
9 Apr 2021 | News and Updates
On Sunday, April 11, Peruvians will elect the next president, two vice presidents, 130 parliamentarians and their five representatives to the Andean Parliament for 2021-26.
9 Apr 2021 | Multimedia
The Engaged Citizen university course covers civic education themes adapted and contextualized to Armenia's history, experiences and realities.
9 Apr 2021 | Election FAQ
On Sunday, April 11, Kyrgyzstan’s voters will go to the polls for local elections and a constitutional referendum.
6 Apr 2021 | Publication
IFES has identified several urgent recommendations to mitigate online violence against women public figures in Bangladesh.
1 Apr 2021 | Publication
How can key stakeholders plan for climate-related risks to democracy? How can environmentally displaced persons participate safely and equally in political life?
1 Apr 2021 | Election FAQ
On Saturday April 10, Maldivian voters will go to the polls for Local Council elections. For the first time, Women’s Development Committee representatives, who are responsible for upholding women’s...
31 Mar 2021 | Election FAQ
On Sunday, April 4, Bulgarian voters will go to the polls for parliamentary elections. Voters will have the choice in more than 9,000 polling stations to cast their ballot by new voting machines or...
19 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
Racial discrimination is a plague to societies worldwide. It continues to hinder democratic progress and cause suffering that affects individuals, communities and institutions. The intentional and...
19 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
The Board elected Thomas "Tad" Devine as Chair of the Board of Directors of IFES. Ambassador J. Kenneth Blackwell, the previous Chair, was elected as Co-Chair. Fred Humphries and Charles "Chuck"...
16 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES has identified challenges common across election management bodies and considers how these have been compounded by COVID-19.
10 Mar 2021 | Multimedia
IFES held a Voter Education Film Festival to share best practices, gather examples from around the world and create a video repository for IFES teams to use and refer back to.
8 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES organized a webinar on disinformation and how it impacts women and other marginalized genders.
8 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
On International Women’s Day and every day, IFES celebrates and supports gender equality for a more democratic, peaceful and prosperous world.
8 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES and its local partners are training 500 Pakistani women to actively promote women’s National Identity Card registration.
8 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES and Pak Women are implementing a “She Leads Pakistan” leadership program that engages men to partner with women community leaders to advance a more inclusive democratic process.
8 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES organized a webinar on the lessons learned from holding elections in Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine in recent months.
5 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES and the Pacific Disability Forum stand in solidarity with women with disabilities working to ensure equal access to rights in the COVID-19 response and recovery.
5 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
IFES is developing a handbook on how to draft a disability inclusion policy to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities in elections and political processes.
5 Mar 2021 | News and Updates
In November 2020, IFES facilitated a strategic communications training for staff members of The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission.
2 Mar 2021 | Publication
The risk-limiting audit is a type of post-election tabulation audit that relies on statistical evidence to confirm that the election outcome is correct.
24 Feb 2021 | Publication
IFES is dedicated to creating and protecting safe spaces for people, online and off.
20 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
An independent team of IFES experts conducted an in-person technical observation and assessment of the Turks and Caicos Islands' 2021 general elections.
16 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
IFES experts will conduct an in-person technical observation and assessment of the Turks and Caicos Islands' February 19 general elections
9 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
Leonida Ponomaryova is a scholar and civic activist with a visual disability and a newly elected member of the Kyiv Oblast Council.
9 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
IFES' local partners are working to ensure that the rights of women with disabilities and young people are included in Nepal's COVID-19 response and to spread awareness of health and safety measures.
5 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
The elections' outcome will guide approaches to the economy, national security, public health, the COVID-19 crisis, international relations, migration and more.
5 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
Under the “Improving Electoral and Political Process for Change in Sudan” program, IFES will continue to support Sudan’s democratic transition until at least November 2023.
4 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
Today on Global Elections Day, IFES recognizes young people’s contributions to democracy and proudly commits to democracy for all.
3 Feb 2021 | News and Updates
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Central Election Commission and IFES collaborated on the development and launch of an e-learning platform for poll workers.
26 Jan 2021 | Multimedia
In December 2020, IFES posted photos of women and men with disabilities around the world with statements that highlight advocacy of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
26 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
For the first time ever, Lebanese civil society organizations submitted a joint report to the United Nations that considered violations of sexual and reproductive rights.
26 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
Within the evolving public health crisis and the economic uncertainty that it has wrought, we will witness several consequential elections around the globe in the months ahead.
22 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
An IFES webinar explored how cybersecurity and technology can protect elections, as well as how it can be subverted for malicious purposes.
22 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
Education – in particular, civic education – is a linchpin in building an engaged citizenry and inclusive, resilient and sustainable democracies.
21 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
To help raise awareness on how to build an inclusive community and democracy during the pandemic, IFES organized a webinar on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in electoral and political...
12 Jan 2021 | Publication
Through our Strengthening Engagement Through Education for Democracy (SEED) methodology, IFES equips youth with the knowledge and skills essential for democratic engagement in the digital age.
11 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
Bangladesh’s Students Against Violence Everywhere hosted an online forum to promote inclusivity and religious, ethnic and cultural tolerance.
7 Jan 2021 | Election FAQ
On Sunday, January 10, Kyrgyzstan's voters will go to the polls for an early presidential election.
7 Jan 2021 | News and Updates
IFES condemns with the strongest voice the mob violence yesterday at our nation’s Capitol.
23 Dec 2020 | News and Updates
On December 9, Indonesia held its fourth concurrent regional head elections for 270 positions.