Mid-term performance evaluation of the increased trust in electoral processes project (ITEP)

This report is a mid-term evaluation of the Increased Trust in Electoral Processes project (ITEP) in Georgia, a four year (2010-2014), $8.0 million project implemented by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) under the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) cooperative agreement.  The project has four stated objectives, plus a small fifth objective recently added.  This evaluation covers only the first two objectives: (1) improved capacity of election administration; and, (2) improved transparency of electoral processes through improved media coverage and CSO involvement.  The intended end result or outcome for these objectives mirrors the project's title: increased trust in electoral processes.  The evaluation focuses on electoral management bodies such as the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Voters' List Verification Commission (VLVC), the former Chamber of Control Group (CCG), now State Audit Office (SAO); and, to a more limited extent, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Free Elections (IATF), a non-beneficiary.  In the non-governmental sector, the evaluation covers four civil society advocacy groups (CSOs) receiving assistance through ITEP.  They are the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), Transparency International-Georgia (TI-G), and New Generation, New Initiative (nGnI).  The findings in the report support the appropriateness of the project's design and the conclusion that the project is performing up to expectations, delivering timely, valued technical assistance through highquality field office staff and international consultants.  The CEC and VLVC have increased capacity and have improved institutional performance.  The SAO has improved its capacity, but it is implementing a political party and campaign finance law that does not meet minimum legal standards of due process and is having a “chilling effect” on freedom of association.  The four CSOs that received sub-grants used the funding for well-targeted activities in support of election law reform, civic education outreach, and monitoring of public spending, thereby helping to increase electoral transparency.  (Excerpt, modified)