Michael McNulty is a senior program manager for the National Democratic Institute's Elections & Political Processes Team. He has over 15 years of experience managing democracy programs related to election observation, civil society advocacy, political parties, and electoral reform in many world regions. His background includes work on local government strengthening in Peru, launching a civil society program in Afghanistan, and managing international development programs.

1. Senior Program Manager, National Democratic Institute (NDI)
Michael McNulty is a senior program manager for the National Democratic Institute's (NDI)
Elections & Political Processes Team. He has more than 15 years of experience managing and
providing technical assistance for democracy support programs in Europe, Africa, Asia and
Latin America on citizen and international election observation, civil society advocacy,
political party strengthening, and electoral reform. Before joining NDI's Elections Team, he
managed civil society and elections programs in NDI’s Ukraine office and was the Washington
DC-based manager for NDI's programs in Central Asia and Turkey. Before joining NDI, he
worked for a local government strengthening program in Peru, launched a civil society
program in Afghanistan, developed publications on microfinance in conflict-affected
countries, and managed international development programs for Chemonics International. He
has also worked on international election observation missions with the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Network of Election Monitoring
Organizations (ENEMO). Michael earned his M.A. in International Relations from SAIS at Johns
Hopkins University and his B.A. from Ohio State University.
Michael McNulty

2. Electoral Transparency and
Open Election Data
Michael McNulty, NDI
3rd Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia │ August 23, 2016

3. Transparency of Election Processes
• Each step is open to scrutiny
• Stakeholders can independently
verify whether process is conducted
honestly and accurately

4. Fundamental Human Right
• Right of citizens to seek, receive and impart
information – UDHR (art. 19)
• Right to participate in public affairs - ICCPR (art. 25)
• “…all necessary and appropriate measures to
ensure the transparency of the entire electoral
process” -- IPU Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections (art. 4.7)

5. Why Transparency Matters to
Electoral Integrity
• Direct link between transparency and
trust
• Fundamental to public confidence
• Elections belong to the people, so
information (data) about election
processes belongs to the people

6. But Transparency is Not Enough
• Not just for sake of transparency
• Helps promote:
– Inclusion: inclusion and public engagement in the
process
– Accountability: ability to hold electoral actors
accountable
– Competitiveness: equitable opportunity to be elected

7. Types of Election Data
• Legal framework
• Decisionmaking processes
• Voter information and Polling stations
• Campaign finance
• Voter registry
• Procurement documents and process
• Party registration and Ballot qualification
• Technology-related information
• Electoral violence incidents
• Polling station level results
• Complaints, disputes and resolution

8. Principles of Open Election Data
Complete, Bulk
Timely Granular Available for Free
Analyzable Non-Proprietary
Non-Discriminatory License-Free Permanently Available

9. Uses of Open Election Data
• Improve effectiveness of election officials
• Increase voter participation
• Increase citizen engagement
• Enhance participation of marginalized
groups
• Reduce tension and dispel rumors
• Generate new insights on electoral
improvements

10. Momentum
What’s my district?
Who are the candidates?
Am I registered to vote?

11. Examples: Increasing Public Confidence

12. Open Data Lessons and Debates
• Adapting benchmarks based on context
• Retrofitting is more difficult and costly
• Over-emphasis on election day
• New technologies in elections
• Trade-offs?
– Privacy and efficiency

13. Global Dialogue: EMBs and Observers

14. openelectiondata.net
openelectiondata@ndi.org
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