10 Years of Democracy Volunteers – Strengthening Elections, Supporting Democracy Video
The Democracy Volunteers PodcastShow Notes
This year, Democracy Volunteers celebrates a decade of independent election observation. Since our founding in 2015, we have grown to become Western Europe's leading election observation organisation, working at home and abroad to improve the quality of elections and to strengthen public confidence in the democratic process.
Over the past ten years, our observers have been on the ground in polling stations, election counts, and campaigns — offering impartial assessments, raising awareness of risks to electoral integrity, and supporting reforms that protect the secrecy and freedom of the vote.
A Decade in Numbers
* 13,658 polling stations observed * 208,515 voters seen casting their ballot * The equivalent of 289 full days spent in polling stations * 'Family Voting' identified in 23% of UK polling stations * Key evidence provided to support the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 * 15 countries and territories observed, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Ireland, Isle of Man, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA
Looking Ahead
Our work is far from over. Democracy depends on vigilance, transparency, and trust — and we remain committed to strengthening those foundations. As we move into our second decade, we will continue to train and deploy observers, share impartial evidence, and advocate for the highest standards in democratic practice.
Thank you to everyone — our observers, partners, supporters, and friends — who has been part of our journey so far. Together, we are helping democracy work better for everyone.
More from The Democracy Volunteers Podcast
Morocco's recent election felt important, yet turnout was strikingly low. In this episode of Elections across the world, we look at why so many young Moroccans are walking away from the ballot box, and at the gap between the country's prestige projects and economic growth and the reality of youth unemployment and poor public services.
16 and 17 years olds are about to get the vote but only around 30% of under 18's say they've learned about politics in school or college. Is lowering the voting age enough to get young people engaged?
Kazakhstan went to the polls on 23rd August for their first parliamentary election since the constitutional change. The result was a landslide, new party Adilet won more than 71% of the vote on a reported turnout of 74%. On the surface, it looks like the Kazakhstan government enjoys strong voter engagement and a healthy endorsement of the status quo; however, it's more complicated than the numbers suggest.
Why does the US still choose its president through the Electoral College, a system designed for an 18th-century country of 13 states?
Zambia's August election was billed as a test of one of Africa's most stable democracies. It ended with the arrest of the main opposition candidate, accusations of a staged assassination attempt, a vote count suspended over unverified reports of violence, and questions raised over discrepancies between the presidential and parliamentary vote counts. In this episode of