Description
Book SynopsisEvery Vote Counts starts from the premise that free and fair elections are the foundation upon which democracy is built. Given this fact, the study explores the role of foreign electoral assistance in helping to spread democracy around the globe during the past two decades. Among other issues, its authors examine: (1) the challenges of organizing elections in two of the most demanding environments of recent years (Iraq and Afghanistan); (2) the effect of African popular opinion about the quality of elections on citizens'' trust in their political institutions; (3) how Ukrainians have chosen legal and electoral means to resolve disputes rather than open conflict; (4) Indonesia''s growing understanding of democracy, which has resulted in increased participation; and (5) electoral assistance as a critical component of American public diplomacy and efforts to reach out to the rest of the world. Each chapter of Every Vote Counts documents the experiences of democracy professionals, who oft
Trade ReviewThe impressive roster of election assistance experts and political scientists assembled for this project addresses these issues by defining international electoral assistance and investigating its role in promoting democracy, as well as by providing case studies of elections held in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iraq, and Ukraine. Overall, this volume provides an excellent introduction to the study of the interaction between electoral assistance and democratization, as well as a set of case studies that illustrate the often overlooked technical details and difficulties of conducting elections in transitional situations. -- Evan Smith, Georgetown University * Democracy and Society *
Every Vote Counts carries an underlying message that democracy is attainable on every continent and can help make the world a more peaceful and humane place... Read this book, reflect on it, learn from it, and use it as you go forward to help return the power to determine a nation's future to its own people. -- Lech Walesa, "A superb lesson of humanity and patriotism."
Table of ContentsPart 1 List of Figures Part 2 List of Tables Part 3 Foreword Part 4 Acknowledgements & Dedication Chapter 5 Introduction: Why Election Assistance? Chapter 6 What is Entailed in Technical Electoral Assistance Chapter 7 The Paradoxes of Elections and Transitions: When is a Nation Ready for Elections? Chapter 8 What Consitutes a Successful Election? The Case of Afghanistan's National Assembly and Provincial Council Elections Chapter 9 How Africans View Elections Chapter 10 People Power Before, During, and After Elections: The Indonesian Experience Chapter 11 Elections and Political Transition in Iraq: Transparency and Participation as Building Blocks of Public Confidence in Conflictive Electoral Environments Chapter 12 Averting Civil Conflicts Through Elections in Ukraine Chapter 13 By the People, for the People: Democratic Elections as Public Diplomacy Chapter 14 Conclusion Part 15 Glossary Part 16 Index Part 17 About the Contributors
