Data to Action: Harnessing the Power of Citizen-Generated Information in Elections
Jun 1, 2024
Since its inception in response to Kenya's post-election violence in 2007, Ushahidi has played a pivotal role in supporting election monitoring initiatives globally from India, USA, Nigeria, Mozambique and here in Kenya in every election since 2007. Ushahidi's platform leverages citizen-generated data to empower citizens and enhance transparency and accountability in electoral processes.
2024: A Pivotal Year for Global Democracy
The year 2024 is shaping up to be a significant period for global democracy. With over 60 countries going to the polls and approximately 49% of the world's population voting, Ushahidi's mission to support democratic processes is more crucial than ever in making a meaningful impact on electoral transparency and inclusivity. Through the integration of advanced technologies and innovative solutions, Ushahidi continues to adapt and evolve to meet the challenges of modern elections.
Learnings from Elections in 2024
1. Shrinking Civic Space
We have observed a concerning trend of shrinking civic space. For example, Belarus, where parliamentary elections were held on 25 February 2024, was marred by political repression and a persistent lack of democratic freedoms, stirring international concerns over the deepening autocratic rule in Belarus. Further, Belarus, unfortunately, finds itself in the company of nations with the worst records of human rights deterioration over the past five years, including Afghanistan, El Salvador, Myanmar and Nicaragua. Restrictive measures on freedom of expression, assembly, and the press have hampered the ability of citizens to participate fully in the democratic process.
2. The Impact of AI
The use of AI in elections has also presented new challenges. In Indonesia, where general elections were held on 14 February 2024, the rise of deepfake videos, as in the case of the Golkar political party's resurrection of former dictator Suharto. While in Pakistan, where Pakistanis took to the ballot on 8 February 2024, an AI-generated victory speech was released by ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party from jail. Both raising critical ethical and legal questions about the responsible use of AI in political processes.
3. Voter Apathy
Voter absenteeism remains a significant concern, as evidenced by Iran's recent legislative elections in March 2024, which saw the lowest turnout since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, with only 41% of eligible voters participating.
Supporting Election Monitoring Initiatives through the Ushahidi Platform
Civic space is shrinking globally, with more than 2 billion people living in countries that are rated as closed, which is the worst rating any country can have – 28 percent of the world’s population are not able to speak out. Despite this, civil societies have shown remarkable resilience. Navigating challenging conditions, they continue their work, often relying on digital technologies and international support to amplify their voices and contribute to the democratic discourse. The Ushahidi Platform has been instrumental in providing a voice to those who are marginalized, for example, in Zimbabwe, where civil society organizations are experiencing restrictions in operating spaces by limiting their right to freedom of association. We enabled citizens to exercise their vote in Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections to increase transparency and accountability around the electoral process, allowing election observers to identify and address election-related issues.
Ushahidi is actively participating in the AI movement by leveraging advanced technologies. Through several key enhancements, Ushahidi continues to make strides in enabling CSOs to quickly collect and analyze data during election monitoring efforts. The AI for Form Assignment Model automates the categorization and assignment of incoming reports based on content, urgency, and other criteria, ensuring that critical information reaches the right stakeholders promptly. The AI for Geolocation Model refines data from various sources to generate precise location mappings, thereby enhancing the accuracy of spatial data. Additionally, Ushahidi's AI-Powered Translation Model offers real-time, context-aware translation services, helping users navigate the platform in their native languages, starting with Swahili. Ushahidi is committed to using AI for good, empowering CSOs to conduct more effective and efficient election monitoring.
Voter turnout has been declining worldwide since the beginning of the 1990s, shedding light on deeper issues within political systems and reflecting widespread disillusionment with the options presented to them. However, Ushahidi has demonstrated the potential to address voter apathy and enhance electoral participation. A study on ‘Crowdsourcing Accountability in a Nigerian Election’ by Catie Snow Bailard and Steven Livingston revealed that Ushahidi's deployment during the 2011 Nigerian elections was significantly correlated with an 8% increase in voter turnout. The study found that the crowd-sourced reports generated by citizens provided officials with improved information about the functionality of local polling stations, thereby fostering greater confidence in the electoral process. This highlights the importance of platforms like Ushahidi in empowering citizens through participatory democracy. By enabling citizens to report incidents, share insights, and contribute to a more informed electorate, Ushahidi helps address the root causes of voter apathy and disengagement.
Raise Your Voice
Ushahidi's Election Monitoring Toolkit
We are about to publish an election monitoring toolkit designed to enable organizations globally to utilize the Ushahidi Platform independently. This toolkit will provide comprehensive guidance on leveraging the platform for election monitoring, from data collection to analysis and reporting.
Ushahidi 2024 Elections Deployment
Our 2024 elections deployment features data on organizations in the electoral space and other useful election data. This deployment aims to create a comprehensive resource for election monitoring efforts worldwide. This data is crucial as it helps identify key stakeholders, understand electoral dynamics, and facilitate the sharing of best practices across different regions. It also provides valuable insights into the state of democracy and highlights areas where intervention is needed to ensure fair and transparent elections.
Join The Movement
- Explore the Deployment: Check out the deployment and share any data that might be useful to add. Email us at elections@ushahidi.com
- Participate as a CSO: If you are an organization in the elections space, complete the CSO survey to help us gather more data to refine our election toolkit (or click on ‘add new post’ and select CSO survey).
- Participate as a Citizen: Complete the citizen survey to share your perceptions about the state of democracy in your country (or click on ‘add new post’ and select citizen survey).
Thank you for being a part of this journey towards a more democratic future.