What is Electoral Integrity? Conceptualising Election Quality in an Age of Complexity, with Cambridge University Press

I’m delighted to share that a new book with Holly Ann Garnett is now available — and, amazingly, it is FREE to download until 14 July 2026 (thereafter £18.00 for the ebook).

The book redefines the concept of electoral integrity around the idea of human empowerment.

Elections serve a purpose. They are not social practices held merely to comply with national laws and international obligations. They are designed to enable people to have power over their own lives and over their communities.

Electoral integrity is therefore defined as:

“A set of principles to be achieved in elections that empower the everyday citizen and help to realise the ideals of democracy.”

The book also:

🗳️ Argues that major societal megatrends mean that the holding of elections has moved from the modern era into an age of complexity
🗳️Remeasures electoral integrity worldwide using tools and indicators suitable for this new age
🗳️Develops important lessons for the theory of democracy and elections, extending and building on the concept of real democracy

It also has important implications for practitioners:

🗳️New challenges to electoral integrity are emerging and spreading rapidly around the world
🗳️International society and national civic communities need to work together to share evidence about “what works” in addressing new threats
🗳️The book provides measurement tools to assess election quality in countries around the world

You can access data on the quality of elections in specific countries here: The Electoral Integrity Project

Please spread the word!

www.cambridge.org