Securing the Right to Political Participation During a Pandemic
The British Academy
PUBLICATION
How to Hold Elections Safely and Democratically during the COVID-19 Pandemic
August 2020 | Sarah Birch, Fernanda Buril, Nic Cheeseman, Alistair Clark, Staffan Darnolf, Susan Dodsworth, Larry Garber, Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero, Tanja Hollstein, Toby S. James, Vasu Mohan and Koffi Sawyer
The British Academy has produced a briefing, led by British Academy Fellow Sarah Birch, that highlights innovative ways in which regional and national governments have addressed election-related challenges during COVID-19 and previous public health crises. The authors make recommendations for holding elections safely under pandemic conditions that also maximize electoral integrity and preserve electoral peace. The briefing is the result of a roundtable discussion held by the British Academy as part of its 'Shape the Future' policy project.
BLOG
Elections, Human Rights and COVID-19
October 2020 | Sarah Birch, Nic Cheeseman, Alistair Clark, Staffan Darnolf, Toby S. James, Vasu Mohan and Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero
"The goal of different countries should therefore be the same: periodic elections held on a universal and equal basis by secret ballot, via fair and transparent procedures that guarantee free expression of vote choice, and an orderly electoral process.
COVID-19 cannot and need not be an excuse to compromise any of these aims."
This blog discusses the internationally recognized right to political participation, along with factors that should be considered when determining whether electoral proposals designed to address pandemic-related concerns are consistent with international human rights law.
Please visit the British Academy website for more information on its programme COVID-19 - Shape the Future, which explores how to create a positive post-pandemic future for people, the economy and the environment.