Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (UNDP/ELECT)

Provinces	Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Hilmand, Hirat, Jawzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktya, Panjsher, Parwan, Samangan, Sari Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul
Program	Democracy & Governance (Strengthening election and political processes)
Dates	November 2007 - November 2010
Partner	United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Website

OVERVIEW
USAID supported the national voter registration and 2009 presidential and provincial council elections process in Afghanistan through the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT) project.  The ELECT Project strengthens the ability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) to conduct free and fair elections through support for civic and voter education, media development, development of operation and logistical systems, election observation, and support for political party development.  These activities will ensure credible, secure, and inclusive elections processes where all candidates have fair access to media, travel, and the ability to campaign.  Ultimately, ELECT will help the GIRoA hold free and fair elections with results that are broadly accepted after election day.  This will all be achieved through a more effective Independent Elections Commission (IEC).

ACTIVITIES

• Increasing the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC’s) institutional capacity to carry out its mandate as an independent constitutional body.
• Creating an effective legal and institutional environment to enable the IEC to execute its responsibilities.
• Strengthening the IEC’s capacity to design and implement a sustainable national voter registration program, to inform and engage the Afghan public, and to deliver a credible voter register in time for national elections in 2009 and 2010.
• Supporting the IEC in the delivery of credible, sustainable electoral processes in 2009 and 2010.
• Supporting the broader electoral framework through capacity building; engagement with and support to civic and voter education, media development, and political parties; and domestic observation.

RESULTS

• Held successful voter registration exercises in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan in preparation for the 2009 presidential elections.  
• Helped the IEC to develop an operational and logistical plan for national voter registration and the 2009 presidential and provincial council elections.
• Enabled the IEC to formulate and review regulations and procedures for elections management.
• Procured and installed infrastructure, equipment, and other logistical supplies for the 2009 and 2010 elections.
• Strengthened the IEC’s capacity to manage and execute the electoral processes, as well as to recruit, train, and manage temporary IEC electoral staff.
• Worked with the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) to completed a review and assessment of the feasibility of a combined civil and voter registration (CVR) system.  The report concluded that given the time constraints of an impending national election, it would not be feasible to conduct a combined CVR and recommended that the IEC and the international community support separate mechanisms to ensure that the voter registration is completed well in advance of the elections.

All Democracy & Governance activities