Electoral Emergency Management

Abstract This chapter seeks to provide readers with a nuanced understanding of the detrimental impact of emergencies on electoral processes and the policy and practice options for protecting elections during such occurrences. By drawing on generic terms and concepts, this chapter defines electoral emergencies as unforeseen and sudden situations—caused by external or internal factors—that can endanger electoral actors, critical infrastructure, and integrity, requiring urgent action to protect them. It then examines causes, consequences, and responses to exogenous and endogenous electoral emergencies, arguing that electoral emergency management requires distinct efforts that build on robust legislation, institutional capabilities, and adequate management processes. Accordingly, essential laws must include provisions ensuring that emergency responses do not weaken electoral integrity checks and balances. Whereas the landscape of agencies involved in electoral emergency management may differ—reflecting the nature of the emergency—electoral management bodies should always have the leverage to decide and the capacity to act. To ensure effectiveness, relevant agencies and bodies should integrate electoral emergency management into broader risk management, resilience-building, and crisis management processes and frameworks.