Consistent Application of Election Law

- Case Study Covid-19 Infection Rate and US In-Person Elections
- Covid-19 and Challenges to Polling Sites in the US
- Efforts to Institutionalize Safety Measures
- Mail-in Ballot Procedure by State

Safe Polling Access

US Concerns for the 2020 federal election exacerbated by Covid-19:
- Consistent application of election law
- Safe Polling Access
- Freedom from Fraudulent Results


University of California, Davis

- Hong Kong
- Russian Federation
- United States

Covid-19 Impact on International Civil Rights and Liberties

In order for an election to be considered truly democratic, it must be both free and fair.  There are many criteria to a free and fair election.  The three primary criteria listed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union "Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections" which have fallen under scrutiny in recent months with the progression of Covid-19 are consistent application of election law, polling station accessibility, and non-fraudulent results.

Free and Fair Elections

The summer of 2019 saw the rise of “The Umbrella Movement” in Hong Kong against a Chinese extradition bill that challenged the “one nation two systems” policy that had been in place for the past several decades.  The Umbrella Movement primarily focused on civil disobedience tactics and social media mobilization.    Hong Kong activists are concerned about revocation of such civil liberties as freedom of press, freedom of speech, and freedom from police brutality, and civil rights such as fair trials and fair elections.

Roots of Recent Activism in Hong Kong

Freedom of Press is a fundamental civil liberty.  Government-run media groups and media groups under government-pressure have been used to disseminate propaganda and conspiracy theories, many of which contained false information.  This state control and pressure undermines the freedom of press in the Federation of Russia in a way that undermines the free spread of information and trust in government.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After