IRI to Observe Jordan’s Parliamentary Elections

Washington, DC − IRI today announced it will send a delegation to Jordan to observe the November 9, 2010 parliamentary elections.  This is the first time Jordan has opened its elections to international witnesses.

The delegation will be led by Peter T. Madigan, Vice Chairman of IRI’s Board of Directors.  Madigan has served as Transition Chief of Staff to United States Trade Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs for Secretary James A. Baker III and Baker’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Legislative Affairs. 

Other members of the delegation are:

• Dr. Wajeeha Sadiq Al Baharna, President of the Bahrain Women’s Society and Vice Chair of IRI’s Arab Women’s Leadership Institute;
• Michele Dunne, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and editor of the online journal Arab Reform Bulletin;
• Alberto Carnero Fernández, Director of the International Affairs Unit of the Foundation for Social Studies and Analysis in Spain;
• Louisa Greve, Vice President for Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and Multiregional Programs at the National Endowment for Democracy;
• David Schenker, Aufzien Fellow and Director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy;
• Hassan Habib Mohamed El Shamy, Deputy Director of Monitoring 2010 Parliamentary Elections Project at the Ibn Khaldun Center in Egypt;
• David Vriesendorp, Member of the Board of Directors of the Eduardo Frei Foundation in the Netherlands; and
• Charity Wallace, Director of the Women’s Initiative at the Bush Institute.

Prior to the elections, delegates will be briefed by Jordanian election officials, international and Jordanian nongovernmental organizations and an expert on Jordanian media.  Delegates will also be briefed on the rights and responsibilities of international witnesses, the Jordanian Code of Conduct for election observers and Jordanian election law.  Delegates will then be deployed throughout the country where they will observe the polling process and identify strengths and weaknesses in Jordan’s election system, including campaign regulations, drawing electoral district boundaries, the balloting process, vote tabulation and reporting. 

IRI staff will also serve as observers and assist in the mission.  IRI staff will be led by Lorne Craner, President of IRI; Judy Van Rest, Executive Vice President; Scott Mastic, Director of Middle East and North Africa programs; and David Bell, Resident Country Director for IRI in Jordan.

IRI has also deployed local long-term observers to monitor the campaign period in all 12 governorates.  These observers are monitoring voting preparations, candidate campaigning, the media environment and the political atmosphere within the Kingdom.  Long-term observers are meeting with government officials, political campaign representatives, civil society activists and election stakeholders.  Long-term observers will also monitor voting and ballot counting on Election Day, and the adjudication processes and resolution of complaints following the elections.

IRI has monitored more than 135 elections in more than 40 countries.  Since 2005, IRI’s work in Jordan has focused on connecting citizens and government by promoting good governance, strong political parties and public opinion research.  IRI grassroots-focused activities encourage democratic participation on the national and sub-national levels by politically engaging civil society, particularly women and youth, and preparing political parties and candidates for elections.