FIRST INter-American Electoral Training Seminar
November 17 - 21, 2008
Mexico City
Preliminary project proposals
To strengthen the practical application of the impressions, knowledge, and exchanges gained during the First Inter-American Electoral Training Seminar, participants are required to develop a project proposal. The project will be a concrete initiative that will contribute to the improvement of some practice or that will incorporate some innovation in the institutional responsibilities within the participant’s area of responsibility in one of the three main thematic areas.
To this effect, the selected candidates should formulate a preliminar project proposal prior to their arrival in Mexico. This preliminary proposal will be refined through the exchanges with colleagues, the expert’s presentations, and the group work during the training seminar. Toward the end of the course, participants will turn in a new version of their refined projects that will serve as the basis for follow up after the training seminar. All participants will have to present at least one report on the advance and development of their project in the first six months after the training seminar.
Please send the preliminary proposal to Ms. Ana Carolina Jiménez () before October 20, 2008. Thanks!
Name: Laiza N. OteroTitle: Deputy Director, Voting System Testing & Certification
Institution:U.S. Election Assistance CommissionCountry: USA
Project Title: Election Management Guidelines: EMG Chapter and Quick Start Management Guide on Voter Education and Outreach
Thematic Area of the Project(choose one from the training seminar): Voter Civic Education Campaigns
Description of the problem that the project addresses within its national context: (max. 15 lines)
Public awareness and education about the electoral process, from registration through casting a vote, is a key factor in improving the administration of elections. A more informed and engaged community potentially has many benefits, including but not limited to improved voter registration rolls and increased number of volunteers and poll workers.
I propose to develop as part of the EAC’s Election Management Guidelines Program a chapter and a brochure on voter education and outreach to assist election officials improve the design and implementation of voter civic education campaigns. Our program offers recommendations to election officials on a variety of topics and the topic of voter education has been a recurring theme within other chapters/topic areas; it would be benefitial to dedicate a full chapter and brochure on the topic to help illustrate the concepts of voter education campaigns in a more effective manner. The content in these publications will be developed in collaboration with election officials and other professionals that have first-hand experience in this area.
For examples of the EMG program’s work, please visit the following site:
Specific objectives of the project: (max 10 lines)
Specific objectives of the project include but are not limited to:
State and local election officials will have access to best practices regarding the development and implementation of voter civic education campaigns.
- The EAC will publish a chapter on voter education and outreach in the Election Management
Guidelines.
- The EAC will publish a Quick Start Management Guide on Voter Education and Outreach in
2009.
The EAC will provide recommendations on voter education civic campaigns that are based on first-hand experience, usability and accessibility standards, and research. It will also serve as a clearinghouse of information regarding this topic.
Description of the activities foreseen within the project: (max. 20 lines)
The EMG program will convene a focus group of election officials and other election professionals to discuss existing practices (challenges and lessons learned) and develop the structure of the chapter and brochure that will be published as part of this effort.
The EMG program will vet its publication with the EAC’s two advisory boards which represent: 1) Standards Board: 110 members – 55 State election officials and 55 local election officials, and 2) Board of Advisors: 37 members – which includes members appointed by various national association of election professionals and the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
We will consider the development of a video as a supplement to the two publications mentioned already.
All materials will be disseminated to all State and local election officials, and made available on the EAC’s website. They will also be presented at national, State, and local conferences of election officials.
Additional information regarding implementation, financing, or development of the project: (max. 15 lines)
N/A
Additional necessary information that you hope to acquire during the First Inter-American Electoral Training Seminar: (max 10 lines)
I look forward to learning about the challenges and successes experienced by other nations in the area of voter civic education campaigns, and how they can be incorporated into recommendations/best practices for U.S. election officials. Of particular interest, are strategies for reaching to Spanish-speaking voters from the different regions of the Americas.
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