Election Crises in Polarized Democracies:

What the US Can Learn from Other Countries Before the November Election

Black Lives Matters Protests. Black Lives Matter Counter-Protests and Vigilante Violence. A Hyper-Polarized Supreme Court Judge Nomination Process.

Recent events have illustrated that the risks of contested election results, outbreaks of political violence, and a breakdown of the democratic process could become a reality around the US presidential election this November. Looking at comparable international examples can help identify solutions and work that could be done domestically to help prepare and respond.

We are hosting a dialogue that will uncover examples of the recent election crises that have happened in other countries, which have key relevance for the risks surrounding the US presidential election this November.

From backsliding democracies and authoritarian environments, these examples can help guide us to make note of warning signs and tactics to mitigate risks, helping those of us in the US better prepare to protect and defend democracy through this tense, high-stakes and high-risk election season.

This event builds upon Open Gov Hub’s Defending Democracy program, which started in 2017 to explore international examples of other countries’ democracy challenges, in order to help address unprecedented challenges to American democracy at home.

Moderator:

• Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior Fellow - Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Panelists:

• Krzysztof Izdebski, Board Member & Policy Director, ePaństwo Foundation (perspectives from Poland)
• Rodrigo Diamanti, Founder, Un Mundo sin Mordaza (perspectives from Venezuela)
• Manu Bhagavan, Professor of History, Human Rights, and Public Policy; Hunter College, CUNY Graduate Center (perspectives from India)

Check out this recent article about the risks surrounding this November's election from the Washington Post, written by our event moderator to get more insights from the moderator!