This question was posted on behalf of Sandra Nurse, WFP consultant.

The Question

I am doing some research on best practices for elections in disaster states. I am using Haiti as a case study and am wondering if there are any materials out there or experts willing to discuss.

I am looking for literature (formal or informal) on the experience of the international community, or more specifically agencies participating in electoral assistance programs in countries that are in the emergency recovery phase after a natural disaster (ex: Haiti).

The problem I am running up against is elections in developing states are either discussed in terms of a complex emergency or in general. I have found electoral rights outlined in two UN documents on response to natural disasters, however these references are each only a paragraph. I've been reaching out to UNDP and US State Department who might have anecdotal information, however I'm still looking for any insight from the practitioners in your network.

Thank you for your help!

Summary of Responses

It was noted, initially, that the electoral legislative scheme should provide for the eventuality of a disaster. The link was also made to similarities between post disaster and post conflict settings, such as Liberia and Somalia, as well as the massive international community involvement in DRC elections. 

Examples relating to natural disasters include:

• Postponing a referendum in Bermuda due to a hurricane
• The Electoral Commission of Pakistan electoral policies in the 2005 quake effected regions
• Landslides in Uganda which displaced already registered voters 

Furthermore, best practices for elections were said to come with their own set of more general issues. The success of best practices are often dependent on stakeholder political will; on the ability to conduct ‘periodic’ elections; on ability to judge whether to proceed with an election or not; on also ensuring local acceptance of the process and not just compliance with best practices; and on whether certain groups attempt to gain in the election process following a disaster.

The importance of recognizing the emotional and physical constraints in a region of conflict or natural disaster was raised, but also that there was no manual for this and that past type template solutions should be handled with care.

Examples of Related ACE Articles and Resources

Encyclopaedia:

• Crisis Management  
• Voting Site Security Arrangements 
• Strategic Planning
• Observation Portal - Natural Disaster keyword search 

External Resources:

• IFES' Elections Today Vol. 5 #4, January 1996
• Innovations for Successful Societies

Names of Contributors

1. Carl Dundas 

2. Shahid Iqbal 

3. Jennifer Widner 

4. Hugh Fulton 

5. Charles Benjamin Nsimbi-Kabugujjo 

6. Monte McMurchy 

7. Ray Kennedy 

8. Monte McMurchy 

9. Mirimo Mulongo

The issue of election and natural diasters has come to the fore not quite as often as one would expect, given the frequency and far-reaching consequences of natural diasters currently. The primary rule to be followed is that the electoral legislative scheme, whether by constitutional provisions or the electoral law, should provide for such eventualities in a comprehensive manner. The cases on this point are few, but an interesting situation arose in Bermuda some years when the independence referendum was postponed due to a pending hurricane which changed course unexpectedly, but only after the vote in the referendum was already cancelled. The events went to a commission of inquiry chaired by the late distinguished Caribbean Judge, Rt Hon. Telford Georges, whose Commission thoroughly examined the effect of natural diasters on elections. {I am away from my election library at present and so I am not able to give the precise reference, but if research the issue thorough, I am sure you will find the reference to this Commission of Inquiry] .

In 2005 people of Pakistan went through the turmoil, suffering and agony that challenged all its institutions. The earthquake that struck on October 8, 2005 precisely at 08:50:38 AM in Kashmir and Northern Areas of Pakistan left thousands dead and millions homeless in its wake. During the months that followed the election commission of Pakistan (ECP) and electoral assistance agencies across the globe collaborated as single unit for preparing for general elections in 2008 in Pakistan including the earthquake hit areas. The task of the election commission was indeed very challenging. In some cases its local offices were damaged. Government buildings used to house polling stations were razed to the ground.  Voter’s lists needed to be purged of voters who had lost their lives. Yet the ECP was able to hold elections there in a successful manner.

Perhaps an inquiry about the ECP electoral policies in the quake affected region might be useful. Luckily we have a qualified and experienced practitioner (Mr. Khalid Waheed) from that region whose insights could be useful for your research.

My program hasn't looked specifically at elections after natural disasters, but we have profiled the steps some countries have taken to host elections in post-conflict settings, where it is often difficult or inadvisable to try to register people to vote and go through all of the usual steps.  Some of these accounts may prove useful.  See Innovations for Successful Societies http://www.princeton.edu/successfulsocieties  and click on the elections section.  A portrait of Liberia's post-conflict elections will appear on the site shortly, but the Somaliland case may be of particular interest. 

The EMB simple guideline should be, can they or can they not provide an election in line with best practices: has the EMB designed a process in line with standards and is it now able to undertake minimum levels of activities needed in order to conduct that election in line with such standards and which is acceptable by stakeholders.

General comments: :

• ·         Whether or not ‘best practices’ occurs is often more dependent upon the presence of sufficient stakeholder political will to comply, and EMB ability to ameliorate project risk, including natural disasters having alternative solutions for key activities. Hopefully, the disaster is not so severe as make contingency plans redundant.

• ·         A very obvious challenge to best practices is the ability to hold ‘periodic’ elections, contingent upon the extent of the damage suffered and recovery possible. This triggers a separate but related discussion on postponement modalities -  this is particularity relevant where EMBs politicisation has occurred, and opposition parties have adopted a belligerent stance.

• ·         Experienced EMBs should be able to make the judgement to proceed or not

o   is there broad stakeholder acceptance that conditions are generally acceptable to hold an election;

o   is there an availability of sufficient structures/alternatives to conduct voting and counting,

o   is there an ability to gain transparency and thus faith in process in light of poor road access, loss of communications, public access through interrupted media etc;

o   were vital election activities critically disrupted ie loss of voter data, interruption of civil registration etc

• ·         Compliance with best practices is often the judgement of observers, especially international, and this is a further layer to your question, however local acceptance of process is critical.

• ·         Further problems in gaining best practices may also occur indirectly if certain groups attempted to capitalise on a process weakened by disaster and poor EMB risk management by undertaking some form of electoral malfeasance.

• ·         On a philosophical note I would add that in my experience as a practitioner, best practices should apply no matter where and no matter the context be it post disaster or post conflict. This in itself is a ‘best practice’.

Election management is about effective project management – importantly understanding and managing risk. It is a judgement call to proceed with any election depending upon ability to ensure the basic minimum electoral activities referencing standards.

In Uganda we have had post conflict elections particularly in the northern part which has been under war for the last 3 election cycles.  This poses challenges in election administration particularly registration in camps, exhibition of voters' rolls and polling day management.  We held local council elections under war conditions.  There are reports at our web site www.ec.or.ug.  I have a masters thesis that is comparing voter registration procedures from that area to a secure urban area (the capital city Kampala).

We also had a curious case where land slides displaced people after the voter update exercise and the challenge was how do they get to vote from a different district which has different contestants.

But like Hugh says above, best practices depend more on political will.  All the EMB can do is to try to stop stakeholders taking advantage of the fluid situation.

The concern articulated in the query is interesting and valid particuarly when grounded by recent natural and political events generating or promoting a degree of regional/national instability. I will admit in being puzzled by the term "best practices" which when attemped in being grafted on to an external agent creates more issues and problems versus solving. One at all times ought to listen to the localized EMB talent and offer suggestions which in no manner ought to reduce the localized management of the civic electoral process.

Each of the previous responses are measured in their respective logic and add greatly to the discourse.

My only comment would be that of being sensitive and recognizing the collateral emotional as well as the physical constraints existent in the region of conflict/natural disaster strife will ground any and all attempts in rendering advice in assisting in ensuring emotional and logical reasoning stability as much stress is and will be created as a result of this colamitous type disaster whether man made or natural. As far as I am aware there is no one manual as to how best to proceed save that a measure of tolerance and sensitivity coupled with professional objective rigour ought to ensure the potential of a reasoned resolution.

Be careful of past type template solutions as each situation does have a unique marker which will ensure that prior civic electoral reasoning may well be subject to transfigurative modulation entailing outcomes other than what may have been anticipated.

Be open to suggestions which must always be grounded within a prescriptive imprimatur of civic electoral professional responsibility.

We addressed the issue of election administration in emergency zones in IFES' Elections Today Vol. 5 #4, January 1996.

"Black Letter" electoral administrative regulatory protocols although of extreme fundamental crucial import do not fully reflect the emotive subjective dissonance expressed in a rife crisis ridden polity where this electoral instrument is to function both descriptively as well as ensuring prescriptive resolution which for this writer is couched in nuance and civic ambiguity.

Bonjour Sandra,

La RD Congo,mon pays a organisé non seulement les premières élections démocratiques après plus de quarante ans mais également des élections post conflits.Nous avons reçu une assistance siginficative de la communauté internationale sur plan financier,logistique et sécuritaire.En effet,la communauté internationale a financé près de 90% du budget des élections et apporté un appui logistique sans précedent.La mission de Nations Unies au Congo(MONUC) comptait jusqu'à 20.000 casques bleus soit la plus importante mission déployée par les Nations Unies.Dans le cadre de vos recherches vous pouvez avoir plus d'informations sur les sites du PNUD,de la MONUC(devenue MONUSCO) et de la CEI( devenue CENI:www. cei-rdc.org)Nous serons heureux de vous fournir d'autres informations si nécessaire.

Cordialement,

MIRIMO MULONGO Dieudonné

English translation by the Facilitator

Dear Sandra,

The RD Congo, my country, has not only organized the first democratic elections in forty years but also post conflicts elections. We have received significant assistance from the international community on financial, logistic and security levels. In fact, the international community has financed almost 90% of the elections’ budget and brought an unprecedented logistic support. The United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) counted up to 20 000 peacekeepers which is the biggest mission deployed by the United Nations so far. As part of your research, you can obtain more information by consulting the PNUD, the MONUC (now MONUSCO) and the CEI (now CENI: www.cei-rdc.org) websites. We would be pleased to provide you more information if necessary.

Cordially

MIRIMO MULONGO Dieudonné