A WEB

On July 11, 2025, the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), in partnership with the Jean Monnet Chair at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, convened the international conference “Enhancing Practices and Innovations in Election Observation” in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

The event opened with welcome remarks from A-WEB Secretary General In-sik Jang, who emphasized the growing importance of election observation amid rising misinformation, polarization, and public distrust. He called for renewed reflection on how observation practices can become more effective, inclusive, and responsive to current realities. Stressing A-WEB’s commitment to peer learning and democratic support, he invited participants to think critically and constructively about how election observation can better serve election management bodies, civil society, and voters around the world.

The conference featured four distinguished panelists who offered diverse and thought-provoking perspectives:

·         Professor Christina Binder (University of the Bundeswehr Munich) examined the evolving role of international election observation in upholding democratic norms.

·         Professor Régis Dandoy (Universidad San Francisco de Quito) advocated for further professionalization of election observation and shared concrete recommendations for improving missions through enhanced training and refined methodologies.

·         Professor Junhan Lee (Incheon National University) shared insights from Korea’s experience, underlining the importance of observation in rebuilding public trust and strengthening civic engagement.

·         Professor Hiroyuki Urabe (Dokkyo University) reflected on his observations across nine countries, offering comparative insights into both the strengths and emerging challenges of international missions.

The conference also featured a presentation by Ms. Jinju Jo, Director of Electoral Research and Observation at the A-WEB Secretariat, who reflected on the journey of A-WEB’s election observation program since its launch in 2015. She shared key milestones, including the deployment of 31 observation missions with the participation of 383 election officials and experts from around the world. Her presentation highlighted the program’s steady growth, its emphasis on peer-to-peer exchange and mutual learning, and its evolving role in strengthening transparency, professionalism, and collaboration among election management bodies globally.

The conference provided a timely and meaningful forum for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing in the evolving field of election observation.

To extend the impact of the event, the full conference video will be shared shortly with A-WEB members, offering an opportunity to revisit the discussions and insights in their entirety.

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