The global spread of Covid-19 has profoundly impacted the health and welfare of citizens around the world. It has also had a profound effect on elections, with at least 47 countries postponing forthcoming contests.

With colleagues at International IDEA, I’ve written some recent pieces on whether elections should be postponed or whether elections can be continued in this context:

• Elections and Covid-19: making democracy work in uncertain times, Democratic Audit, 30th March
• Elections and Covid-19, International IDEA Technical Paper
• Should elections be postponed because of coronavirus, The Conversation, 16th March
• Research quoted in CNN ‘How to hold elections during a pandemic’.

A new academic paper will hopefully be available shortly.

Photo credit: Tedward Quinn