100 Elections Observed

In May 2015, observer teams deployed to Guyana, on the northeast coast of South America, for what would be The Carter Center’s 100th observed election. Read the Center’s statements and reports on Guyana’s elections here.

Carter Center observers in Guyana complete a checklist as a polling official looks on.
Carter Center observers in Guyana complete a checklist as a polling official looks on.

Twenty-six years earlier, in May 1989, The Carter Center sent its first-ever team of election observers to Panama, where their work exposed General Manuel Noriega’s scheme to falsify tally sheets to swing the elections in favor of his handpicked candidate. That set in motion a series of events that led to Noriega’s downfall. It also established The Carter Center as a leader in what was then the still relatively new field of election observation.

President Carter in Panama, May 1989.
President Carter in Panama, May 1989.

In the intervening years, the Center’s observation teams have witnessed elections in 38 countries. Their arrival — always at critical times in a country’s history — helps ensure that human rights and democratic values are respected and inspires confidence in the voting process. The Carter Center has developed a reputation as a trusted, impartial witness who speaks the truth.

Click here to read firsthand accounts of the Center’s first mission and reflections on its contributions to election observation over more than 25 years.