Election Commissions and the Provision of Information: A Comparative Study of Better Practices Globally

Ensuring a free flow of information in relation to elections involves many actors and many different information systems. Parties themselves, driven by self-interest in their desire to win the election, are a key part of the wider system of information dissemination. The media are also a key player, serving as the main source of information about elections for many citizens. The advent of the Internet has significantly broadened the number of players and the ways in which they can disseminate information relating to elections, ranging from individual bloggers to discussion forums to user generated content spaces hosted by more traditional media.