 Dr. Robert A. Pastor |
 Dr. George Guess |
From CDEM Co-Directors, Dr. George M. Guess and
Dr. Robert A. Pastor
Democracy is expanding around the world, but it is nowhere perfect. It is a system of government that needs to be improved by constant engagement by the public. The central element is free and fair elections, effectively managed. American University has established a Center for Democracy and Election Management to provide education, research, and public engagement on the full range of democracy issues in the United States and the world. Read more...
Highlights
 Jimmy Carter addresses AU students on federal election reform, September 2005. |
Pre-Election Assessment: Progress on Carter-Baker Commission Recommendations - A New Report from CDEM
From voting machines to provisional ballots, the mechanics of American elections have changed over the past few years. But questions remain about whether reforms have gone far enough to restore public trust in our election process. This year’s primaries underscored a number of ongoing problems with voting technology, voter registration lists, unclear standards and insufficient resources–problems that continue to sow doubts about the fairness and accuracy of our elections. This new report, released at CDEM's Oct. 9th conference, "Looking Beyond Election Day: The Future of Election Reform," offers a pre-election assessment of what progress has been made in election reform since the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election reform released its recommendations in 2005.
CDEM Study Suggests that Voter IDs are not the Problem
A new study by American University's Center for Democracy and Election Management (CDEM) finds, surprisingly, that only 1.2 percent of registered voters lack a government-issued photo ID, and more than two-thirds of all registered voters in the three states feel that the electoral system would be trusted more if people had to show an ID to vote. Based on a random sample of registered voters in Indiana, Mississippi and Maryland, the full report, Voter IDs Are Not the Problem: A Survey of Three States, details the survey results and offers recommendations to transform what has been perceived as a problem into an opportunity to actively register voters and provide them free photo IDs.
Press release...
CDEM Directions
| Education | Research & Publications | Upcoming Events | ||||
Register for SPA’s Spring 2009 course “International Election Administration” (GOVT-696-004; also listed as GOVT-496-004) taught by CDEM's Associate Director, Tihana Bartulac-Blanc. The course will provide an overview of key aspects and best practices in election management. For more information about the course and syllabus, please contact bartulac@american.edu. |
In October 2006, Robert Pastor testified before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on election reform. Testimony | Full Transcript |
CDEM, the Center for Social Media and Arts Engine will host an event on Jan. 31 to review presidential election progress. More information |