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Email this citationCIAO DATE: 04/03
Administration and Cost of Elections (ACE) Project. The User's Guide to the ACE Project Electronic Resources
IFES
December 2002
Abstract
The political dimensions – the issues, the positioning of parties and candidates, and the results – garner the most media attention and public discussion during an election campaign. Overshadowed, but no less important, however, is the “behind-the-scenes-work” of those ensuring the electoral process comes about without a hitch. If the election goes smoothly, the administration will hardly be noticed. If it does not, accusations of disenfranchisement, manipulation, or malpractice may result, possibly jeopardising the legitimacy and the results of the electoral event.
Credibility and legitimacy are considered the cornerstones of each electoral process. In many democracies, these principals are so self-evident that they hardly need mention. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case everywhere. Those entrusted with preparing for an election, along with the international donors and technical assistance institutions, are keenly aware of the harm that administratively flawed elections can have on an electoral event. In most instances, election administrators working to legitimise an electoral process are left without the proper resource materials to adequately prepare because comprehensive information on election methods used outside their milieu has not been readily available. With this in mind, the Administration and Cost of Elections (ACE) Project was established.
