Scene from the opening of polls in Sri Lanka on 5 August 2020. Sri Lanka held its Parliamentary Election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Election Commission assured voters that the polling stations will be safe with health guidelines imposed for this election. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) deployed six assessment
On August 5, over 16 million Sri Lankan voters are invited to cast their ballots in South Asia’s first major elections since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially scheduled for April 25, the polls had to be postponed twice. On the eve of this exercise in democracy, the Asian Network for
Election volunteers of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) participated in a one-day online pre-deployment briefing on 31 July 2020. They will be gathering information for ANFREL's assessment of the 2020 Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election. Six election volunteers were given an orientation on the political and electoral system of Sri Lanka
First published on the website of CMEV on 27 July 2020. ANFREL member in Sri Lanka, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), released their report on hate speech and use of divisive language during the 2020 Parliamentary General Election. CMEV looked at notable incidents of hate speech and use of divisive
First published on the website of CMEV on 23 July 2020. ANFREL member in Sri Lanka, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, has released its first evaluation of the ground situation during the election campaign for the 2020 Parliamentary Election. The ground evaluation took place during the first two weeks since the
As Singapore is set to hold its general election on 10 July 2020, issues and challenges that affect free and fair elections in the city-state still linger, according to panelists in a webinar the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) hosted last Sunday, 5 July 2020. Aimed to provide an understanding of
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong dissolved parliament on 23 June 2020 which paved the way for a general election scheduled for 10 July 2020. The election will be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic of which the city state, much like the rest of the world, is still grappling with the threats
Election Commission of Sri Lanka Chairperson Mahinda Deshapriya ensured the public that the polling station will be the safest public space and encouraged voters to exercise their right to vote on 5 August 2020. "Don't be afraid. This [polling station] is the safest public place. It is safer than markets or transportation
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is hosting a webinar on the preparations, challenges of organizing and participating in the upcoming 2020 Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election, this Saturday, 27 June 2020 at 10 a.m. (Colombo Time/11:30 a.m. Bangkok Time). The election was first set for 25 April 2020 but was canceled
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) observed the final mock polling station set up by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka at the President College Rajagiriya in Colombo on 24 June 2020. EC held a series of mock polls to test health and safety measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the
More than two million registered voters in Mongolia are heading to the polls on 24 June 2020 to elect a new set of parliamentarians. As part of their engagement in the election, ANFREL member in Mongolia, the Women for Social Progress through their Voter Education Center (VEC/WSP), implemented voter education activities focusing
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and youth volunteers from domestic observer group WeWatch were in Lampang (Northern Thailand) on 20 June 2020 to monitor the first by-election held in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The election served as testing grounds for "new normal" polling procedures introduced by the Election Commission.
The world is looking at the successful conduct of the parliamentary election in South Korea as a case study in organizing elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), with the Asia Democracy Network (ADN), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), and the Korea Democracy Foundation co-organized on
ANFREL and six domestic election observation groups, including our members PAFFREL and CMEV, release today the “COVID-19 Code of Conduct for Election Observers” ahead of the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections. This document is a joint initiative from organizations both domestic and international intending to observe the parliamentary elections of Sri Lanka.
ANFREL member in Maldives, the Transparency Maldives, explained the constitutional crisis brought about by the delay in the conduct of the Local Council Elections. The elections, which were supposed to take place on 4 April 2020, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay, however, meant that the legal terms of
The Sri Lanka Parliamentary Election was scheduled to be held on 25 April 2020 but was postponed due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a timeline of the events that transpired in the last few months regarding the election and COVID-19 crisis situation in the country:
First published on the Daily Mirror on 7 May 2020 By Tharindu Abeyrtahna Despite the fact that electoral democracy in Sri Lanka faced many challenges in pre and post-independence eras, the country has managed to conduct periodical elections in national level. Sri Lanka known as the oldest democracy in Asia and it
South Korean health authorities said there were no recorded local transmission from the conduct of the parliamentary election. Here are the safety measures South Korea implemented to make the 15 April 2020 election possible despite the threat of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the election cycle in many countries as much
With Indonesia postponing the local elections scheduled for 23 September 2020 to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, several election civil society organizations recommended factors to consider on declaring election postponements. Election CSOs composed of ANFREL members Perludem and KIPP Indonesia (Independent Committee for Elections Monitoring Indonesia), with the People's Voter
The Election Commission of Sri Lanka has set 20 June 2020 as the new date for the Parliamentary Election. It was originally scheduled for 25 April 2020 but was postponed due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. ANFREL member in Sri Lanka, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) , published
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the everyday life of people around the world affecting their livelihood and restricting freedoms they enjoy. Several countries have also postponed their scheduled elections in light of the current situation but on 15 April 2020, South Korea proceeded with its legislative election in what the world now
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) published the first edition for 2020 of its quarterly newsletter e-Bulletin. In this issue, ANFREL highlights the discussion on elections in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. ANFREL, in a statement, expressed concern and regarded the postponements of elections as reasonable measures, "as long as
27 March 2020 As the world continues to face the severe outbreak of COVID-19, states across Asia are taking measures to tackle the epidemic and protect the health of their population, which is obviously the foremost concern. At the same time, while everyday life is disrupted, elections and democratic processes are also
