After 30 years observing elections abroad, the Carter Center is getting involved in its first U.S.

After 30 years observing elections abroad, the Carter Center is getting involved in its first U.S. v

For the first time in more than three decades of monitoring elections abroad, the Atlanta-based Carter Center will turn its attention to November's U.S. federal election. The human rights organization, founded in 1982 by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, has observed more than 100 elections in 39 countries where democracy was in its infancy or backsliding, or where political polarization was extreme. The Center says that while the U.S. has fallen short of some international election standards throughout the years, democracy in the country was never considered to be "backsliding." 

Developments over the past five to 10 years have made them reconsider, however. "We see that many of those characteristics are sort of emerging, or have emerged in the United States," said Avery Davis-Roberts, associate director of the Carter Center's democracy program. "So it felt like it was a time for the Carter Center to do what we could to contribute to a good, strong democratic process this year."

The November election is taking place amid an unprecedented backdrop — a global pandemic, months-long protests for racial justice and disinformation campaigns. As more Americans choose to vote by mail this year, U.S. President Donald Trump has also sowed unfounded fears over voter fraud — saying repeatedly that he believes the 2020 election is rigged  U.S. President Donald Trump has also sowed unfounded fears over voter fraud — saying repeatedly that he believes the 2020 election is rigged  — and has previously refused to commit to honouring the election results. On Thursday, Trump told NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie that he would accept a peaceful transfer of power, and added "I want it to be an honest election and so does everybody else."

Asked whether she thought her group would ever assist in a U.S. election, Davis-Roberts told Day 6 host Brent Bambury that "no election is perfect."  "There's always the need for some sort of observation or transparency mechanisms to help that process along — and help the public understand what's happening within that election process," she said.

ANALYSIS Competing town halls give U.S. voters a chance to judge Trump and Biden in isolation. The Lincoln Project's slick ad campaign is trolling Trump in hopes of a Biden win Misinformation, and long lines at polls. In a statement, the Carter Center said their efforts will work to "increase public knowledge of key election issues and processes," and "encourage electoral transparency throughout all stages of the process." Davis-Roberts points to efforts by Russian officials during the 2016 campaign to interfere with the election as an example of how the U.S. elections have been affected by outside forces. She says that even the suggestion of interference can have a negative effect on voters. "These narratives around interference do have a corrosive effect on people's confidence in the election process."