We have been applying lessons from the Octopus lifestyle: intelligence, strength and versatility in delivering successful elections management assignments to our clients, in a very simplified yet satisfying manner that exceeds the client’s expectations and goals.
Sustaining the process of democratization is more challenging in the least developed and developing countries, which face pervasive poverty, multi-ethnic conflicts and social tensions between the powerful and powerless. Countries that are economically rich yet poor in other human development indicators are another difficult category to deal with.
Many present-day democracies are called representative democracies, in which people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. In some cases, the electoral management system itself is under pressure, if not under direct attack, and in need of immunity and insulation.
Competitive elections, in addition to being expensive and wasteful, are increasingly being manipulated by political parties, propaganda machineries and clever demagoguery.
Election managers continuously face formidable challenges to keep the electoral system functional and provide a level playing field for everyone, while they struggle to retain their autonomy and integrity.
The larger issue is making democratic systems and processes work for all four principles which are; popular control, political equality, constitutional governance, individual freedom.
If an election management system is meticulously followed and intelligently implemented, its guiding principles can keep the electoral oversight and regulatory agencies in strategic fitness and failsafe condition against undue pressure and motivated interference.
We focus on how electoral management bodies can; protect their autonomy, exercise management control, safeguard integrity, maintain transparency and ensure efficacy, adhere to professionally implemented rules as well as procedures while keeping the system voter friendly.
We can help electoral management bodies in electoral frameworks, including the choice of electoral system and the design of electoral administration, determine both the outcomes and the credibility of electoral processes and thereby trust in democracy.