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
20 Aug 2020 | Election FAQ
Montenegrins will go to the polls on August 30 to vote for 81 members of Parliament. To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions on ...
19 Aug 2020 | News and Updates
IFES worked with Ukrainian educators and students to move its university-level civic education course online to continue strengthening young people’s civic knowledge and skills during the pandemic.
12 Aug 2020 | News and Updates
Continuing their response efforts to COVID-19 in Bangladesh, IFES and Dhaka University’s Microgovernance Research Initiative organized 11 webinars for the Students Against Violence...
12 Aug 2020 | News and Updates
From July 27-30, IFES partnered with The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission to virtually deliver part one of IFES’ Executive Curriculum in Electoral Leadership (iEXCEL) training for...
4 Aug 2020 | News and Updates
On June 21, Serbians voted in parliamentary, provincial and local elections. With a partial opposition boycott and the threat of COVID-19 looming, IFES provided key, targeted assistance to election...
31 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
Through a monthlong social media campaign, IFES will showcase young leaders who are leading efforts to bolster young people’s engagement and participation in democratic processes.
31 Jul 2020 | Publication
Obstacles to full and equal political participation exist across Ukraine. A new IFES assessment identifies vulnerabilities that impact the political participation of Ukrainians with multiple social...
30 Jul 2020 | Election FAQ
Bougainvilleans will go to the polls starting on Wednesday, August 12, to vote for the 39 members of the House of Representatives and a president. These will be the first elections held since the...
29 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
Understanding voters’ fears about going to the polls amid COVID-19 is crucial to creating a safe voting environment. Having conducted nationwide surveys in three countries, IFES has some preliminary...
28 Jul 2020 | Publication
How can all people participate in elections and democracy during COVID-19 and other crises?
20 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
In response to COVID-19, IFES has adapted its disability inclusion work in Ukraine to continue to support the Central Election Commission’s (CEC) election access working group, which brings together...
20 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
In partnership with the Fijian Elections Office, IFES is working to inform election management bodies, civil society organizations and other stakeholders in the Pacific region on best practices for...
17 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
IFES' Regional Europe Office is a crucial element of our strategy to support the exchange of knowledge, skills and experience among European and Eurasian electoral stakeholders. In light of COVID-19...
15 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
A recent IFES webinar focused on how the disinformation landscape is rapidly evolving and how various stakeholders can address the misinformation, disinformation and hate speech related to the...
15 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
The “Power to Persuade” training builds the skills of women with disabilities to advocate with policymakers, elected officials and other political powerbrokers for reform. In response to COVID-19,...
15 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
IFES joins more than 500 political and civil leaders, Nobel Laureates and pro-democracy institutions on an open letter to defend democracy, warning that the freedoms we cherish are under threat from...
14 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
The possibility of holding major electoral events using technologies like internet voting has garnered significant interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. IFES invited experts to weigh in on the...
14 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
Based on international good practices and programs working with persons with disabilities and their organizations in over 60 countries, IFES has prepared recommendations on how to ensure they are...
13 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
On May 14, IFES submitted written evidence to the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK) in support of the House of Commons International Development Committee inquiry on the effectiveness of UK...
13 Jul 2020 | Election FAQ
Macedonians will go to the polls on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, to vote for 120 members of Parliament. The elections had originally been scheduled for April 12 but were postponed as a result of the...
2 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
In recognition of its efforts to advance the political rights of persons with disabilities worldwide, IFES was invited to join International Disability and Development Consortium as an...
1 Jul 2020 | Election FAQ
Croatians will go to the polls on Sunday, July 5, in country and on July 4 and 5 abroad to vote for the 151 representatives in the Croatian Parliament. To help you understand this important electoral...
30 Jun 2020 | Election FAQ
Dominicans will go to the polls on July 5 to vote for the president, vice president, 190 deputies and 32 senators. To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides...
29 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
On June 25, IFES and the Central Electoral Board of the Dominican Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding to affirm their collaboration to safely, credibly and transparently conduct the...
26 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
On June 28, Poland will hold a presidential election that was originally to be held on May 10 but delayed due to COVID-19. Learn more about the COVID-19 mitigation measures and what is at stake.
24 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
IFES has endorsed S. 3880, the Office of International Disability Rights Act, which aims to promote the global visibility and rights of people with disabilities through American development and...
23 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
In partnership with the Fijian Elections Office, IFES is co-hosting a webinar series to inform local election management bodies, civil society organizations and other stakeholders in the Pacific...
23 Jun 2020 | Publication
How can information and elections be protected during COVID-19 and other crises?
23 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
This month, we are celebrating #CEPPSGlobalPride! IFES interviewed U Kaung Zaw Htet, program director at Civil Authorize Negotiate Organization, about their work to support LGBTI equality in Myanmar.
18 Jun 2020 | Election FAQ
Malawians voted in presidential, parliamentary and local government elections in May 2019. Malawi is now expected to hold a rerun presidential election on Tuesday, June 23.
16 Jun 2020 | Election FAQ
The Republic of Serbia will hold elections on Sunday, June 21 for the 250 members of the National Assembly. They had originally been scheduled for April 26 but were postponed as a result of the COVID...
10 Jun 2020 | Multimedia
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission recently drafted a policy on conducting elections in the context of COVID-19 and has been gathering feedback. IFES' Hermann Thiel participated...
10 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
Ukrainian government officials are working to meet their mandates and conduct their work online while under general quarantine. To help address their needs, IFES and the joint Central Election...
5 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
To fulfill the promise of our American constitutional republic, racism and racist violence must end. By adding our voice to those Americans of all races, ethnicities, and faiths who are calling...
3 Jun 2020 | Publication
How can democratic rights and electoral integrity be safeguarded when elections are altered during a crisis like COVID-19?
2 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
Nayem Molla is a youth promise fellow and master trainer in the Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) program. Read our Q&A with Nayem, who is taking a lead role in countering the spread of...
1 Jun 2020 | News and Updates
We are proud to announce that Elaine Cole will join IFES as our new director of human resources.
27 May 2020 | Publication
Thank you for your interest in participating in an IFES event.
27 May 2020 | News and Updates
In Bangladesh, there are growing concerns that misinformation, disinformation and hate speech are fueling violence and spreading inaccurate and dangerous information about COVID-19. In response, IFES...
27 May 2020 | News and Updates
IFES' president and CEO joined with other prominent leaders in an open letter published by the Kofi Annan Foundation to draw attention to the substantial risk COVID-19 poses to...
27 May 2020 | Publication
Though we do not yet know the full extent of COVID-19’s impact, women and most marginalized communities will likely experience disproportionate hardship. This means all preparedness and response...
27 May 2020 | News and Updates
IFES' webinar, “Perspectives From Electoral Stakeholders,” focused on the administration of elections and gathered 140 participants from over 25 countries.
26 May 2020 | News and Updates
Elections will likely have to continue to adapt to COVID-19 over the next two years. African election management bodies should put the health and safety of voters first while ensuring the integrity...
22 May 2020 | News and Updates
Election managers and authorities should be mindful of the challenges young people face when participating in political life as a result of COVID-19 and should work to bolster their participation.
22 May 2020 | News and Updates
In recognition of the compounded barriers Deaf communities face accessing information, IFES developed a video in Tunisian Sign Language to share information about the pandemic.
21 May 2020 | News and Updates
In order to develop a better understanding of this new context, I am pleased to announce that today we are launching the new IFES COVID-19 Briefing Series which tackles seven fundamental...
19 May 2020 | News and Updates
IFES hosted a Twitter chat to share experiences, best practices and lessons learned for empowering marginalized groups in political life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
13 May 2020 | News and Updates
On May 8, IFES submitted its first-ever written evidence to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in support of the House of Commons International Development Committee inquiry on the impact of the...
12 May 2020 | News and Updates
COVID-19 risks turning back the clock on the progress made in increasing marginalized groups’ access to and participation in public life. CEPPS hosted a virtual event to discuss how to ensure that...
12 May 2020 | Multimedia
IFES launched a series of public service announcements that feature young Georgian women with different types of disabilities. The women share how they have been impacted by COVID-19 to raise...
11 May 2020 | Publication
How can elections be held safely during the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health crises?