DEMOCRACY INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTING INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION IN AFGHANISTAN. Democracy International organized a 62-member international election observation mission to the August 20 elections in Afghanistan. As of October, a core DI team in Kabul continues to monitor the process. Please click for further information and updates.

Beyond Free and Fair: Monitoring Elections and Building Democracy by Eric Bjornlund explores the history and evolution of international and domestic election monitoring.


DEMOCRACY INTERNATIONAL

Democracy International, Inc. (DI) designs, implements, and evaluates democracy and governance programs worldwide. Founded in 2003, DI offers expertise in election processes and election monitoring, political party organizing, local government and decentralization, legislative strengthening, civil society development, strategic communications, and rule of law programming. The firm has extensive experience with assessments, evaluations, project designs, and survey research. DI is based in the United States and is an SBA-registered small business.


DI News:

AFGHANISTAN

On Thursday, October 2, DI Principal Glenn Cowan testified before the House Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee. The hearing on "The Afghan Elections: Who Lost What?" addressed the August 20 presidential and provincial council elections and their implications for U.S. foreign policy.


INDONESIA


In September DI Principal Eric Bjornlund led an evaluation for the Australian Australian Agency for International Development of Australian assistance to the 2009 elections in Indonesia. He led a separate evaluation

for the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy in May. In April he worked with The Carter Center on a program to monitor national elections. DI also continues to work with International Relief and Development on the "SERASI" conflict resolution program.


ALBANIA

DI worked in Albania to support the election commssion in advance of elections on June 28, 2009. DI assisted with training of election officials, voter education, and establishing a vote count reporting system.


ECUADOR

DI advised on a parallel vote tabulation for April 2009 elections in Ecuador.


TIMOR-LESTE
Timor-Leste

DI continues to work in Timor-Leste to help local institutions to conduct Public Opinion Surveys and develop Quantitative Research Skills.


KOSOVO

In Kosovo DI carried out separate evaluations of the Effective Municipalities Initiative in April and the Justice Support Program in May.


Democracy International holds two indefinite quantity contracts (IQCs) as a prime contractor with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID):

DI also holds a GSA Schedule for Mission Oriented Business Information Services (MOBIS).

DI is a subcontractor on the following IQCs:

Since its founding, DI has worked on democracy and governance programs in more than 35 countries with:

  • U.S. Agency for International Development
  • U.S. State Department
  • United Nations Electoral Assistance Division
  • Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  • The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
  • The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
  • The Carter Center
  • The Asia Foundation
  • National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)
  • International Republican Institute (IRI)
  • International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES)
  • DPK Consulting
  • Elections Canada
  • Solidarity Center
  • Freedom House
  • International Relief and Development (IRD)
  • RTI International
  • Opinion Dynamics Corporation
  • National Court Reporters Association
  • Women's Campaign International
  • Planning and Learning Technologies (Pal-Tech)
  • Development Associates
  • Sibley International
  • Checchi Consulting

Through and for these international organizations, we have advised and worked with civil society organizations, political parties, legislatures, election commissions, and government agencies throughout the world. We have managed and evaluated hundreds of democracy and governance programs.

As career democracy and governance professionals, the principals of Democracy International have broad experience and a record of accomplishment, both in the U.S. and abroad. We have designed and conducted grassroots campaigns, practiced law and urban planning, held elective office, and served as senior staff members in the U.S. Congress and in U.S. presidential and congressional campaigns. We have testified before Congress and the United Nations and have advised state and local governments in the United States and around the world. We have taught at leading universities and have written books, prepared training manuals, published articles and opinion pieces, and conducted evaluations and assessments. We have pioneered innovative election monitoring techniques, including the significant, influential statistically based "parallel vote tabulation" methodology. We are committed to democracy, good governance, human rights, and the rule of law as fundamental values and to the professionalism and quality of our work.

Updated October 2009.

Democracy International, Inc.
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Bethesda, Maryland 20814 USA