Challenges of Electoral Integrity in an Era of Overlapping Crises

Despite rapid advancements in electoral integrity research, our understanding of how and to what extent a confluence of contemporary crises—ranging from the rise of digital electoral manipulation and increasing domestic political polarization to international confrontations between democracy and autocracy, as well as natural hazards such as the COVID-19 pandemic—affects the practices and processes of electoral integrity remains critically underexplored. This special issue thus examines the question: What are the potential impacts of emerging crises on electoral integrity and, consequently, the resilience of democracy? We argue that the current overlapping crises play a crucial role in shaping how political leaders manipulate electoral processes and influence election outcomes. The evolving conditions of electoral processes in response to these crises introduce new challenges for electoral administration, necessitating further scholarly attention.