Hybrid (virtual/in-person) Seminar Series
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our new seminar series will allow for participation from around the globe through an online hybrid seminar series.
We welcome leading scholars and practitioners from around the world to present papers on electoral integrity. Presentations are followed by an interactive Q&A with the audience. Watch the recordings below.
February 11, 2022
Policy Talks — The Year in Elections: Research from the Electoral Integrity Project
Hosted by Queen’s University School of Policy Studies
Feb 11, 2022
12:00 PM ET (via Zoom)
Speakers:
Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College of Canada / Queen’s University)
Toby S. James (University of East Anglia)
- Co-Directors of the Electoral Integrity Project
Recent events, from the controversies surrounding the 2020 US Presidential election, to discussions of democratic backsliding across the globe, have highlighted the importance of electoral integrity to democracy and future of global and international political systems. The Electoral Integrity Project will present new data about the quality of elections around the world 2019-2021. The presentation with provide an overview of the Perceptions of Electoral Integrity Index methodology and highlight key strengths and weaknesses in the electoral cycle. It will conclude with a discussion of the major challenges facing elections into 2022 and reflect on our conceptions of democracy and electoral integrity today.
September 2021
Although Americans were surprised by Russian interference in U.S. elections in 2016, foreign electoral interventions are common and widespread around the world. They range from democracy promoting interventions that attempt to improve election quality to partisan meddling that seeks to tilt the electoral playing field in favor of a preferred candidate. How do these interventions impact individuals’ trust in elections?
This seminar with feature academic Dr. Lauren Prather (University of California San Diego), presenting her work with Sarah S. Bush from the forthcoming book Monitors and Meddlers: How Foreign Actors Influence Local Trust in Elections. Following her presentation, Bret Schafer (Media and Digital Disinformation Fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy) will share insights from his work ‘on the ground’ monitoring foreign interference in the digital space.
Co-sponsored by: The Electoral Integrity Project and the Alliance for Securing Democracy
Lauren Prather is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego in the School of Global Policy and Strategy (formerly IR/PS), a Research Affiliate at the Policy Design and Evaluation Lab, and a member of Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP). Her work focuses on political behavior in international relations, democracy promotion and democratization, Middle East politics, and experimental methods. Her current book project examines foreign electoral interventions and their effects on local trust in elections.
Bret Schafer is the Alliance for Securing Democracy’s Media and Digital Disinformation Fellow. Bret is the creator and manager of Hamilton 2.0, an online open-source dashboard tracking the outputs of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media outlets, diplomats, and government officials. As an expert in computational propaganda, state-backed information operations, and tech regulation, he has spoken at conferences around the globe and advised numerous governments and international organizations.
October 2021
The increasing use of communication technologies in the electoral process has led to both interest and concern among global practitioners. Topics such as online voter registration, voter biometrics, and e-voting have garnered attention as the spread of COVID-19 has underlined the need for safe, secure, and accessible voting practices.
On October 20, 2021, the International Republican Institute and the Electoral Integrity Project will host a roundtable titled "The Use of Technology in Election Administration: Promises and Pitfalls." Experts from around the world will gather to discuss the use of technology in election administration and its implications for future elections.
Speakers:
Gift Mwonzora, Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, University of Free State
Robert Krimmer, Skytte Institute, University of Tartu
Nicole Goodman, Brock University
Jennifer Morrell, The Elections Group
November 17, 2021
How do electoral officials use social media to engage with voters? Join academics Mara Suttmann-Lea (Connecticut College) and Thessalia Merivaki (Mississippi State University) for a presentation on their research on the role of American local election officials’ use of social media for voter education, the gaps that exist in current practices, and the implications of uneven use across jurisdictions for voter education. Following their presentation, Nick Gamache (Elections Canada) will present their recent work engaging with stakeholders online during the recent 2021 Canadian Federal Election.
Chaired by Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College of Canada) and Laura Stephenson (Western University).
Co-Sponsored by the Consortium on Electoral Democracy and the Electoral Integrity Project
Thessalia (Lia) Merivaki is an Assistant Professor in American Politics at Mississippi State University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration and a member of The Carter Center's U.S. Elections Expert Study Team since September 2020. Dr. Merivaki's research agenda is situated within the growing field of Election Sciences, which includes the study of election reforms, election administration, voter education, as well as election data transparency and accessibility. Her full bio and research can be accessed at https://www.merivaki.com/.
Nick Gamache is the Acting Director of Media Relations and Environmental Monitoring at Elections Canada, the independent agency that oversees federal elections in Canada. Nick is also responsible for Elections Canada’s social media accounts. In the lead-up to the September 20th federal election, the agency’s social media accounts handled a record number of interactions with users and played a key role in sharing information about where, when and ways to vote during a pandemic election.
Mara Suttman-Lea is an Assistant Professor of American Politics at the Department of Government and International Relations at Connecticut College. They are also the host of the podcast “What Voting Means to Me.” Dr. Suttmann-Lea has publications in American Politics Research, Election Law Journal, and Political Research Quarterly as well as public-facing outlets like the Washington Post. Their research focuses on election administration, political parties and campaigns, and political engagement in the United States. They are currently researching how local election officials communicate with constituents about elections and voting through social media platforms.