Webinar Recap: Strengthening Electoral Capacity Through Training and International Cooperation
On April 16, 2025, the Electoral Stakeholders' Network hosted a global webinar titled “Strengthening Electoral Capacity: The Power of Training and International Cooperation”, bringing together leading electoral experts to explore how strategic training and global partnerships can reinforce electoral integrity and resilience.
Sharing Global Best Practices in Electoral Training
The session featured presentations from distinguished speakers including Dr. Holly Ann Garnett (Electoral Integrity Project), Bridgett A. King (University of Kentucky), Keti Karenashvili (Central Election Commission of Georgia), Karen Kehily (Electoral Commission of Ireland), and Paul Greenhalgh (ICPS SkillWise).
Together, they painted a diverse yet connected picture of the evolving needs and responses in electoral training. Dr. Bridgett King opened with insights on the transformation of election administration into a professional discipline. Highlighting the need for standardized training at state and national levels, she emphasized elections as critical infrastructure requiring resilient and adaptive workforces.
Dr. Holly Ann Garnett discussed comparative global data on electoral management bodies (EMBs), showing how centralization, independence, and capacity—including the training of both permanent and temporary staff—impact the perceived integrity and effectiveness of elections.
Country Spotlights: Ireland and Georgia
From the Irish context, Karen Kehily detailed the rapid institutional development of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission. Since its formation in 2023, the commission has prioritized education, research, and capacity building. With a robust learning and development strategy, it has scaled from a handful of staff to over 30 and is working to foster a high-performing, agile organisation. Their post-election reviews and staff training have become integral to both professional growth and policy improvement.
Keti Karenashvili shared Georgia’s ambitious approach to staff training and voter education, especially around the rollout of new electronic voting technologies. With mandatory certification for precinct commission members and large-scale training initiatives—often reaching tens of thousands of officials—the Georgian commission has embraced a policy of inclusivity, targeting ethnic minorities and hard-to-reach communities.
Emphasising International Collaboration
The importance of international cooperation was a recurring theme. Experts discussed the benefits of learning from peer countries, observing elections abroad, and coordinating efforts to harmonize standards, especially as technology becomes more deeply embedded in election processes. The dialogue highlighted a shared understanding: resilient elections begin with well-equipped, well-informed personnel.
ICPS SkillWise: Bridging the Training Gap
Concluding the webinar, Paul Greenhalgh of ICPS introduced Electoral Manager, part of the ICPS SkillWise platform, as a response to the challenges raised throughout the session. More than just a digital tool, SkillWise offers a research-informed, practical approach to institutionalising electoral training. It provides EMBs with features such as:
- Competency-Based Certification
- Structured Learning Paths
- Simulated Assessments and Scenario Testing
- Auditable Training Records
- Support for Temporary and Permanent Staff
SkillWise directly addresses key concerns raised in the academic literature—such as variability in training practices and the lack of continuous professional development—by offering scalable and adaptable solutions rooted in empirical research. Notably, it supports EMBs in maintaining standards between election cycles and provides a foundation for long-term organisational learning.
As highlighted in the webinar, the demand for effective, inclusive, and consistent electoral training is growing. ICPS SkillWise does not attempt to replace local knowledge or policy but provides a versatile framework through which electoral bodies can institutionalise excellence.
Conclusion
This webinar reaffirmed that the strength of electoral processes lies not only in systems and laws but in the people who implement them. Training is not a luxury but a necessity—one that must be rigorous, inclusive, and future-facing. Platforms like ICPS SkillWise, developed in direct response to global research and practitioner feedback, are well-positioned to support EMBs in achieving these goals.
The recording of the event can be found here.