ACE Electoral Knowledge Network

This initiative draws on information and communication technology (ICT) and in-person exchanges to foster a network of people working on, and learning about, everything related to elections.

The ACE Practitioners' Network brings together election professionals from different countries - with diverse and complementary experience and specialisation - into an online global knowledge network in the field of elections. Through their interaction on an internal web platform (the "ACE Workspace"), they may: access advice, information, and news customised in accordance with their areas of interest; participate in, or initiate, online discussions on pertinent matters with other network members; share and disseminate best practices and lessons learned; encourage innovations, new ideas, and approaches in the form of expert advice; and conduct peer review in the field of elections. The Practitioners' Network also provides visibility to members, who can find out and be offered jobs and assignments by electoral assistance providers. The list of members of the network is open to the public and can be used by any organisation interested in recruiting election professionals for jobs or assignments.

The ACE Regional Electoral Resource Centres, located in geographically strategic places around the world, act as regional hubs collecting and processing election-related information. They ensure that the electoral expertise that exists within the regions is included in ACE and shared between countries and practitioners rather than kept isolated from the rest of the world.

The ACE website includes: in-depth articles, global election-related statistics and data, an Encyclopaedia of Elections, a virtual library that serves as a focal point for sharing knowledge and information on elections, region- and country-specific resources, daily electoral news, an election calendar, quizzes, expert networks, and more. For instance, the Electoral Support and Advice section provides information on the options and approaches available to actors interested in the conduct of credible and transparent electoral processes. This section includes: electoral assistance, election observation, professional development, consolidated replies, and "Ask the ACE Experts" (real-time advice on real issues by the ACE Practitioners' Network). The ACE website is being developed into a multi-language tool in order to serve the needs of electoral practitioners from all over the world. ACE is currently available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian. (However, all content is not available in all languages.)

Democracy and Governance.