The Global Election Monitor (GEM) aims to provide a continuous qualitative overview of democratic national elections and any related electoral integrity challenges. Election stakeholders increasingly navigate changing information environments, eroding levels of trust in government institutions, as well as traditional challenges and hurdles related to electoral administration and performance.  

Elections are the cornerstone of democratic political processes, serving as a mechanism for political parties or candidates to compete for public office under equal conditions before the electorate.

Special voting arrangements (SVAs) are designed to expand voting opportunities to individuals who are otherwise not able to vote and thus to facilitate the principle of universal suffrage. SVAs are defined as arrangements that allow voters to exercise their right to vote by alternative means to casting their ballot in person, on election day, in the default polling station in the voter’s constituency.

An effective electoral justice system is a key element in the unfolding of a free, fair and genuine democratic process. Without a system to mitigate and manage inequality or perceptions of inequality, even the best management of an electoral process may lead to mistrust in the legitimacy of the elected government.

The lack of clarity related to the types of threats that manifest, as well as the roles and responsibilities for protecting elections in the information environment, can lead to the unfitted allocation of resources and ineffective strategies for prevention and protection. Measures should be focused on the impact, with clear delimitation of competencies and responsibilities in addressing the different types of malign practices that have the potential to affect trust in elections and the acceptance of the electoral outcome. 

Training and professional development is an investment in the EMBs ability to perform its primary task, administering an electoral contest.  Poor or inadequate training hampers service delivery and increases the risk of election blunders that negatively impact the reputation of the EMB or the election outcome itself. Building the EMB workforce's capacities reinforces and inculcates electoral administration values and principles.

When elections take place in countries transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy, from deep political crises to stability, or from war to peace, their significance is greater than usual. In such instances, elections are expected to bring legitimacy of government and contribute to consolidation of democracy, peace and stability. If, however, decisions on the timing and sequencing of transitional elections are not well- thought through, the elections can instead exacerbate tensions and thereby increase the risk of renewal of conflicts or democratic backsliding.

During 2020–2021, the Covid-19 pandemic profoundly affected elections worldwide. In the first place, fast decisions needed to be made about whether to continue with planned elections, postpone or cancel them—balancing political rights with public health and safety concerns. For elections that went ahead, the pandemic necessitated rapid adjustments.

There has been a major shift in anti-corruption strategies in both international organisations and national governments to connect political finance with corporate political activities to address the issues of money in politics in a more holistic manner. Corporate political activities such as campaign donations and lobbying have a substantive, at times, defining impact on the integrity and perceived fairness of policymaking and policy outcomes. 

Women, people with disabilities, LBGTI individuals, youth, and indigenous people face both demand-side and supply-side barriers to their participation in politics. A lack of access to political finance is one of the biggest hurdles. Funding plays an essential role in politics, and the high cost of election campaigning means that politics often does not afford equal opportunities for all to compete.