It was an honour to key the keynote speech open the t𝗵𝗲 𝗘-𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗗 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. It look place in 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆, France at the Centre Inria de l’Université de Lorraine. Over three days, more than 𝟭𝟯𝟬 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱—in computer science, political science, law, cybersecurity, and electoral institutions—will discuss the challenges of…Read more Evoting Conference 2025
Billions voted in 2024, but Electoral Integrity Project exposes cracks in global democracy
by Toby S. James, Holly Ann Garnett, and Sofia Caal-Lam The Global Electoral Report 2025 has been published and raises concerns about the state of democracy around the world during 2024’s ‘Super Cycle’ of elections. Described by Time Magazine as the ‘Year of Elections’, 2024 saw 1.6 billion people head to the polls across 74…Read more Billions voted in 2024, but Electoral Integrity Project exposes cracks in global democracy
Electoral Integrity-IDEA report on ‘Review of the 2024 Super-Cycle Year of Elections’ calls for global action
The Electoral Integrity Project collaborated with International IDEA to publish a special report on “Review of the 2024 Super-Cycle Year of Elections: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities”. I edited report alongside Holly Ann Garnett and Erik Asplund. It included chapters from myself, Vasil Vashchanka, Gudlaug Olafsdottir, Julia Thalin, Ingrid Bicu, Sonali Campion, Erik Asplund, Madeline Harty…Read more Electoral Integrity-IDEA report on ‘Review of the 2024 Super-Cycle Year of Elections’ calls for global action
What if everyone could vote?
Last week we launched a new report in Parliament on the UK electoral franchise. The report estimated that there are 4.4 million resident adults in the UK who are unenfranchised at Parliamentary elections - and 1.2 million at local elections. They are legally resident; contribute economically & socially to society; and, are bound by the…Read more What if everyone could vote?
Direct enrolment can help to improve UK voter participation
Turnout at general elections is in long term decline. At the 2024 general election, only 52.8 per cent of the population over 18 (rather than registered voters) cast a ballot – a figure which has been declining at an alarming rate. In a new report, we set out how direct enrollment voter registration can be implemented…Read more Direct enrolment can help to improve UK voter participation
Electoral Reform: Democratic Principles and Global Practice
Election quality varies enormously around the world. Given concerns about global democratic backsliding, the issue of how to improve and protect election quality is a pressing policy problem. Passing reforms to improve the quality of elections, however, has often proved difficult to achieve. Incumbent governments may be reluctant to reform the rules which brought them…Read more Electoral Reform: Democratic Principles and Global Practice
Hamburg Parliament elections: high commitment to local democracy, but transparency of political funding could be improved
Elections to the Hamburg Parliament took place on 2 March 2025. I served as the Technical Expert to the Council of Europe Congress mission that monitored the election. You can read the statement from the Head and Deputy Head of Mission here: https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/hamburg-parliament-elections-high-commitment-to-local-democracy-but-transparency-of-political-funding-could-be-improved https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/hamburg-parliament-elections-high-commitment-to-local-democracy-but-transparency-of-political-funding-could-be-improved
UEA Lasdun Lecture 2024: Broken Democracy? Lessons from the American Election
Immediately after the 2024 US Presidential election, UEA held the annual Lasdun Lecture on the topic of democracy in America. This took the form of an open panel discussion - it was great to be on the panel. Watch below - and/or read my recent piece on real democracy in the USA. https://youtu.be/mNxoXq0LGqQ?si=lkhHTa9oZkbOaN01
Real democracy: a new approach to democracy and democratic theory
In an age of 'democratic backsliding' it is worth re-asking... 'what is democracy?.' This new piece in New Political Science draws from a tradition in British philosophy to propose an alternative to traditional minimalist and deliberative approaches to democratic thought. Realist (or real) democracy is present where preconditions exist to fully empower all citizens to…Read more Real democracy: a new approach to democracy and democratic theory
Call for Papers: Democratic Electoral Reform?
Democratic Electoral Reform? REDESIGNING ELECTIONS IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE Online workshop, 19-21st March 2025 Organised by the Electoral Integrity Project and Westminster Foundation for Democracy Convenor: Toby S. James (t.s.james@uea.ac.uk) Election quality varies enormously around the world. Given concerns about global democratic backsliding, the issue of how to improve and protect election quality is a pressing…Read more Call for Papers: Democratic Electoral Reform?
Toby S. James 