Washington, DC − IRI today announced that it will observe the first phase of elections for Egypt’s People’s Assembly to be held on November 28, 2011. Representatives from Canada, Macedonia, Poland and the United States will travel to Egypt to observe voting throughout the country.
For this first phase of elections, IRI is coordinating with a U.S. Congressional delegation led by Congressman David Dreier (CA-26), who also serves on IRI’s Board of Directors. Other members of the Congressional delegation are Congressman Donald Payne (NJ-10); Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-1); Mrs. Connie Harriman-Whitfield; Barry Jackson, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner; Brad Smith, Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman David Dreier; and Rachael Leman, Policy Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee.
IRI delegates are:
- Fred DeLorey, Director of Communications and spokesman for the Conservative Party of Canada;
- Michele Dunne, Director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East;
- Antonijo Milošoski, former Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Macedonia; and
- Agnieszka Pomaska, Member of the Polish Sejm from the Civic Platform party.
IRI staff will also serve as observers and assist in the mission. IRI staff will be led by Judy Van Rest, Executive Vice President of IRI; Scott Mastic, IRI’s Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa programs; and Sam LaHood, IRI’s Resident Country Director in Egypt.
Upon arrival in Egypt, delegates will be briefed by representatives from the U.S. Embassy, international and Egyptian nongovernmental organizations, political parties and representatives of the media. They will also be briefed on Egyptian election law, and the rights and responsibilities of international observers.
Delegates will then be deployed throughout the country where they will observe polling stations and identify and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in Egypt’s election system, including campaign regulations, the balloting process, vote tabulation and reporting.
IRI has also deployed long-term observers throughout the country to observe election related activities such as political campaigns, rallies and elections preparations. These efforts will give IRI a better understanding of the election environment.
Since 1983, IRI has monitored more than 135 elections in more than 44 countries.
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