Nigeria’s 2020 Gubernatorial Elections – Conducting electoral training during the Covid-19 pandemic
12/07/21 • 35 min
Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.
Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?
In episode #4 of Peer-to-Peer we take a deep dive into electoral training in Nigeria during the Covid-19 pandemic. With Ibrahim Sani, Director of Research at the Independent National Election Commission of Nigeria (INEC), David Towriss discusses the issues INEC had to address when early in the pandemic it prepared for gubernatorial elections in two of its states.
What new responsibilities would poll workers have to assume? What changes would have to be made to the training curricula? How would the delivery of training have to change?
Ibrahim explains how INEC answered these questions and shares its experience of implementing those solutions.
- Nigerian State Elections during the Covid-19 Pandemic: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/nigerian-state-elections-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-en.pdf
- Electoral Training and Education: The Case of the Electoral Institute in Nigeria: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/multimedia_reports/electoral-training-and-education-the-case-of-the-electoral-institute-in-nigeria-case-en.pdf
Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.
Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?
In episode #4 of Peer-to-Peer we take a deep dive into electoral training in Nigeria during the Covid-19 pandemic. With Ibrahim Sani, Director of Research at the Independent National Election Commission of Nigeria (INEC), David Towriss discusses the issues INEC had to address when early in the pandemic it prepared for gubernatorial elections in two of its states.
What new responsibilities would poll workers have to assume? What changes would have to be made to the training curricula? How would the delivery of training have to change?
Ibrahim explains how INEC answered these questions and shares its experience of implementing those solutions.
- Nigerian State Elections during the Covid-19 Pandemic: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/nigerian-state-elections-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-en.pdf
- Electoral Training and Education: The Case of the Electoral Institute in Nigeria: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/multimedia_reports/electoral-training-and-education-the-case-of-the-electoral-institute-in-nigeria-case-en.pdf
Previous Episode
UK 2021 Local Elections – The role of the Association of Electoral Administrators
Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.
Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?
At Peer-to-Peer episode #3, Erik Asplund and David Towriss explore the pioneering electoral training education carried out by the Association of Electoral Administrators within UK’s decentralized system of election administration.
In conversation with the Association’s Chief Executive Peter Stanyon, they learn how this independent, membership-based organization provides training support to the electoral officers at the heart of UK electoral administration and how their professional electoral administration qualification has become a staple across the country. Peter also reflects on the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had upon the Association’s training delivery in the lead up to the UK’s local elections in May 2021.
More information on the Association of Electoral Administrators: https://www.aea-elections.co.uk/
Next Episode
How Australia’s EMBs train their electoral officials and educate their youth
Against a background of deteriorating informational environments, falling trust in state institutions and growing electoral result disputation, electoral processes and those who administer them are increasingly being placed under the microscope. Ensuring that the integrity of elections withstand such scrutiny and that voters remain informed and engaged falls largely to election trainers and educators, and it is their vital work that is the focus of the first series of Peer-to-Peer, International IDEA’s new elections podcast.
Through interviews with electoral trainers and educators from around the world, the first series explores how different election commissions tackle the thorny issues affecting their field. How can thousands of temporary poll workers be prepared for election day operations in a short space of time? How can election training be delivered during a pandemic? How can voters be motivated to cast their ballot?
In the first 2022 episode of Peer-to-Peer podcast, hosts Erik Asplund and David Towriss examine how election education and training is conducted under Australia’s federal electoral management system. Their guides are Belinda Bennet, Director of the Australian Electoral Commission’s National Training and Education Unit, and Andrew Hawkey, Electoral Commissioner at the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
From Belinda and Andrew we hear how Australia’s federal and state electoral management bodies work together to share innovations and best practice, the importance they place on training and developing their permanent staff and how they engage young voters of tomorrow.
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