Why Elections Need Parties: Managing Free and Fair Elections in Latin America and Africa (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781009850339)

Why do some electoral commissions earn public trust while others collapse under pressure? Why Elections Need Parties offers a sharp and timely exploration of how democracies succeed or stumble at the ballot box. Drawing on more than a decade of fieldwork, elite interviews, and archival research across Latin America and Africa, Alejandro Trelles uncovers the institutional and political forces that determine whether electoral management bodies (EMBs) gain real autonomy or become vulnerable to manipulation. Trelles develops a new theory of partisan inclusion to show how party engagement, transparency, and accountability can strengthen, rather than weaken, electoral governance. Through vivid country cases and rich comparative analysis, this book demonstrates how institutional design, consultation mechanisms, and administrative practice shape election quality and democratic resilience.

Author: Alejandro Trelles
ISBN-10: 1009850334
ISBN-13: 9781009850339
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 06/25/2026
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback