Details

Date: August 29, 2018
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Co-Chairs: Holly Ann Garnett & Toby S. James
Organizer: Electoral Management Network, MIT Election Data & Science Lab, Electoral Integrity Project
Paper proposals deadline: Closed
Acceptance notification: Closed
Registration deadline: August 1, 2018
Paper submission deadline: August 15, 2018
Program

Conference Theme

In 2017, election management bodies (EMBs) around the world were confronted with a number of new challenges: presidential elections in Kenya were declared invalid amidst allegations of problems with the electoral commission’s databases and computers; elections in Papua New Guinea were delayed in some areas due to striking poll workers and concerns about the accuracy of the electoral register; and a commission on voter fraud in the United States was thwarted by state electoral officials refusing to release data.

In response to these challenges, researchers from around the globe have renewed their focus on electoral management issues in both domestic and comparative perspective. This workshop aims to bring together scholars and practitioners to discuss major challenges in electoral management, and foster new collaborations.

Preliminary Schedule: Wednesday 29, August 2018 Massachussetts Institute of Technology

Panels

Roundtable: Cybersecurity in Elections: Ukrainian Lessons Learned

NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances this roundtable has been cancelled.

9:30 – 11:00, Room 32-155

Chair: Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz (IFES – Director for Europe and Eurasia)

Participants:Michael Okhendovskiy (Chairperson of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission)

Oleksandr Stelmach (Head of the State Voter Register Service)

Victor Zhora (IFES – IT Expert)

Yuliya Shypilova (IFES – Senior Electoral Advisor)

Kateryna Popravka (IFES – Ukraine Interpreter)

Panel 1: Promoting Accessibility and Participation

9:30 – 11:00, Room 32-124

Chair: Paul Gronke (Reed College)

Discussant: Bridgett King (Auburn University)

1.1 Early voting in Australia: the costs and benefits of convenience

Jill Sheppard (Australian National University), Katrine Beauregard (Australian National University)

1.2 How does non-precinct voting affect turnout? Using the Election Administration and Voting Survey to evaluate the effects of various voting reforms

Andrew Menger (Rice University), Robert Stein (Rice University)

1.3 Migrant Populations and External Voting: The Politics of Suffrage Expansion in Central America

Kevin Pallister (Bridgewater College)

1.4 Emigrants’ voting rights: how Election Management Bodies may ensure the effective political participation of voters residing abroad

Ségolène Tavel (Council of Europe)

1.5 Diaspora Democracy: Electoral Participation by Displaced Canadians

Stéphanie Plante (University of Ottawa / Elections Ontario)

Panel 2: Adopting New Technologies

9:30 – 11:00, Room 32-144

Chair: Doug Hess (Grinnell College)

Discussant: Richard Frank (Australian National University)

2.1 Electronic Voting in Botswana: Recipe for Political Instability

Monageng Mogalakwe (University of Botswana)

2.2 And the winner is… Developments in the never-ending battle over the credibility of the Brazilian e-voting system

Ana Lúcia Henrique (CEFOR – Câmara dos Deputados)

2.3 Assessing the Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on Election Integrity

Ziaul Haque (Kennesaw State University & The Carter Center), David Carroll (The Carter Center)

2.4 Biometric Technologies, Electoral Fraud and the Management of Elections in Africa

Olugbemiga Samuel Afolabi (University of Johannesburg & Obafemi Awolowo University)

Panel 3: Protecting the Cybersecurity in Elections

11:15 – 12:45, Room 32-155

Chair: Michael Pal (University of Ottawa)

Discussant: Cameron Wimpey (MIT)

3.1 Election Security: How Professionalism and Resources are Shaping the Future

Mitchell Brown (Auburn University), Kathleen Hale (Auburn University)

3.2 Shifting Focuses in U.S. Election Administration: Election System Security and Contingency Planning

Lindsey Forson (Auburn University), Robert J. Smith (Auburn University), Mitchell Brown (Auburn University), Kathleen Hale (Auburn University)

3.3 Data Security in Elections: Developing a Holistic Exposure and Adaptation Testing (HEAT) Process

Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz (International Foundation for Electoral Systems), Katherine Ellena (International Foundation for Electoral Systems), Gina Chirillo (International Foundation for Electoral Systems)

Panel 4: Mitigating Election Violence

11:15 – 12:45, Room 32-124

Chair: Gabrielle Bardall (IFES)

Discussant: Inken von Borzyskowski (Florida State University) / Gabrielle Bardall (IFES)

4.1 The Use of Violence During the Election Cycle

Richard Frank (Australian National University)

4.2 Duration of Time Lag of Declaration of Results and Electoral Violence in Africa

Ghadafi Saibu (University of Bayreuth)

4.3 Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWE) and Election Risk Management: A Conceptual Framework for Data and Indicators to Address VAWE

David Carroll (The Carter Center), Paige Schneider (Sewanee: The University of the South)

4.4 Preventing and Mitigating Electoral Conflict and Violence – Lessons from Southern Africa

Fabio Bargiacchi (European Centre for Electoral Support), Victoria Florinder (European Centre for Electoral Support)

Panel 5: Supporting Representation and Equality

11:15 – 12:45, Room 32-144

Chair: Alistair Clark (Newcastle University)

Discussant: Katrine Beauregard (Australian National University)

5.1 Candidates’ Personal Attributes and Ballot Information: Legislative Elections in Ecuador and El Salvador

Carolina Tchintian (Rice University)

5.2 A Tale of Two Continents: Ranked-Choice Voting in Australia and America

Benjamin Reilly (Murdoch University)

5.3 Does Compulsory Voting Reduce Inequalities in Political Representation?

Ruth Dassonneville (Université de Montréal), Eric Guntermann (Université de Montréal), Peter Miller (University of Calfornia, Irvine)

5.4 Fabricating Precinct Boundaries

Michael McDonald (University of Florida), Brian Amos (University of Florida), Ekam Kalsy (University of Florida)

Roundtable: Cybersecurity in Elections: The Perspectives of American Election Administrators

1:00 – 2:00, Room 32-155

Chair: Charles Stewart III (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Participants:

Judd Choate (Colorado Director of Elections)

Dion Irish (Boston Election Commissioner)

Matt Masterson (Department of Homeland Security)

Rob Rock (Rhode Island Director of Elections)

Panel 6: Adjudicating Electoral Disputes

2:15 – 3:45, Room 32-155

Chair: Gabriela Tarouco (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)

Discussant: Kevin Pallister (Bridgewater College)

6.1 Electoral Compliance – A New Framework of Analysis

Svitlana Chernykh (Australian National University)

6.2 Inaccessible Justice: The Relationship Between Election Dispute Institutions and Post-Election Challenges

Joe Klaver (University of Michigan)

6.3 Can Election Forensics Help Courts Resolve Electoral Disputes?

Dmitry Kurnosov (University of Copenhagen)

6.4 The Evolution of Adjudication in Electoral Commissions and Political Regimes since 1990s in Russian Regions

Nina Ilchenko (European University at Saint Petersburg)

Panel 7: Encouraging Clean Elections

2:15 – 3:45, Room 32-124

Chair: David Carroll (Carter Center)

Discussant: Craig L. Arceneaux (California Polytechnic State University)

7.1 The Legal Definition of Election Fraud

Leontine Loeber (University of East Anglia)

7.2 Mapping Clean Elections Across Indian States

Imke Harbers (University of Amsterdam), Cécile Richetta (University of Amsterdam), Enrike van Wingerden (University of Amsterdam)

7.3 A Forensic Analysis of the 2017 Presidential Election in Honduras

Maria Page (CIPPEC –Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth), Pedro Antenucci (CIPPEC)

7.4 Annulling Election Results: How Many Irregularities are Too Many?

Chad Vickery (International Foundation for Electoral Systems), David Ennis (International Foundation for Electoral Systems)

Panel 8: Administrating Election Day

2:15 – 3:45, Room 32-144

Chair: Netina Tan (McMaster University)

Discussant: Ruth Dassonneville (Université de Montréal)

8.1 Poll Worker Motivations and the Public Administration of Elections

Alistair Clark (Newcastle University), Toby S. James (University of East Anglia)

8.2 The Human Element: Poll Workers and Vote Confidence

Bridgett King (Auburn University)

8.3 Lines

J. Andrew Harris (New York University Abu Dhabi)

8.4 Photo ID Implementation in Missouri Counties

Joseph Anthony (University of Missouri in St. Louis), David Kimball (University of Missouri in St. Louis)

Panel 9: Building Trust in Elections

4:00 – 5:30, Room 32-155

Chair: Benjamin Reilly (Murdoch University)

Discussant: Alistair Clark (Newcastle University)

9.1 Factors Affecting Expert Evaluations in Electoral Integrity in the 2016 U. S. Presidential Election: State Context and the Vote Differential

Frank Rusciano (Rider University), Michael Brogan (Rider University)

9.2 Transparency as a Correlating Factor for Confidence in US Election Administration

Nandi Vanka (The Carter Center), Avery Davis-Roberts (The Carter Center), David Carroll (The Carter Center), Obehi Okojie (The Carter Center)

9.3 Measuring Electoral Integrity: Electoral Officials’ Perceptions of the Quality of Elections

Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College of Canada), Toby S. James (University of East Anglia)

Panel 10: Improving Independence and Accountability

4:00 – 5:30, Room 32-124

Chair: Mitchell Brown (Auburn University)

Discussant: Mitchell Brown (Auburn University)

10.1 De Jure and De Facto Autonomy of Electoral Management Bodies in Latin America and Africa

Alejandro Trelles (Brandeis University)

10.2 The Dynamics of Delegation: Reforms in electoral governance and the quality of elections in Latin America

Gabriela Tarouco (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco), Joaquim Meira (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)

10.3 Reforming Elections for Electoral Intergrity in Nigeria

Babatunde Oyekanmi (University of Ibadan)

10.4 Biased or Lacking Capacity? The Importance of Election Commissions for Election Quality

Inken von Borzyskowski (Florida State University)

Panel 11: Regulating Campaign Finance and Media

4:00 – 5:30, Room 32-144

Chair: Maarten Halff (United Nations)

Discussant: Dieter Stiers (KU Leuven)

11.1 Full Disclosure or Faux Disclosure? How Discrepancies in Self-Reporting Standards and Practices Undermines Effective Transparency

Andrew Dowdle (University of Arkansas), Karen Sebold (University of Arkansas)

11.2 Social Media and Democracy

Michael Pal (University of Ottawa)

11.3 Electoral Management of Social Media and Fake News in East and Southeast Asia

Netina Tan (McMaster University)

11.4 Policy Responses to Online Disinformation and Threatening Speech

Chris Tenove (University of British Columbia)

Reception

The reception beginning at 7:00pm will be taking place a Meadhall (Cambridge Center, 90 Broadway). It is a 6- minute walk from the Stata Center.

The reception is open to all workshop attendees (please bring your badge with you). We will be providing a light marché-style dinner and non-alcoholic drinks. There will also be a cash bar if you wish to try any of the on-tap beers.

Co-sponsored by:

The Electoral Management Network (www.electoralmanagement.com)

The Electoral Integrity Project (www.electoralintegrityproject.com)

The MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) (www.electionlab.mit.edu)