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Patrick Merloe is senior associate and director of electoral programs at NDI. Mr. Merloe has over 30 years of experience in promoting citizen empowerment, governmental accountability and public policy advocacy. He oversees the Institute's programs concerning: nonpartisan citizen election monitoring and advocacy for electoral integrity; political party electoral integrity activities; constitutional and law reform efforts concerning electoral rights; and international election observation.
Mr. Merloe has participated in over 150 international missions for NDI to more than 65 countries, concentrating on conflict-sensitive states and countries that are vulnerable to authoritarian tendencies. He has produced a dozen publications on comparative law, human rights and elections, and served as the principal drafter and negotiator of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which is endorsed by 38 international organizations. Mr. Merloe is a frequent public speaker, provides news media interviews and occasionally has presented Congressional testimony. He has worked with United Nations bodies, other intergovernmental organizations, international human rights and domestic organizations concerned with democracy, human rights and the rule of law and taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Mr. Merloe received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, conducted graduate work at the Institute for Policy Studies, Washington, D.C., and completed his undergraduate education at Temple University.
Selected writings and statements from Mr. Merloe:
- Statements on democratic elections, Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Sept. 30, 2011
- International Support for Elections: Effective Strategies and Accountability Systems, remarks to the OECD, March 1, 2010
- Future Directions for Democracy Support, remarks at Promoting Political Freedom and Deepening Democracy Conference, June 25, 2009
- Promoting Legal Frameworks for Democratic Elections, Sept. 30, 2008
- International Principles for Democratic Elections Chapter 2: Human Rights - the Basis for Inclusiveness, Transparency, Accountability and Public Confidnece in Elections, July 9, 2008
- Monitoring Electronic Technologies in Electoral Processes, December 31, 2007
- The Bangladesh Elections: Promoting Democracy and Protecting Rights in a Muslim-Majority Country, speech, Oct. 17, 2006
- Advancing the Human Dimension: the Role of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, congressional testimony, May 17, 2006
- Freedom Denied: Belarus on the Eve of the Elections, congressional testimony, March 9, 2006
- Introductory remarks at the Supplemental Human Dimension Meeting of the 55 OSCE Participating States, speech, July 15, 2004
- Elections, Human Rights and Conflict Mitigation in the OSCE Arena, speech, Nov. 10, 2003
- Promoting Effective Democratic Reform in Semi-Authoritarian States and Pseudo-Democracies, discussion paper, Jan. 23, 2003
- Media Monitoring to Promote Democratic Elections: An NDI Handbook for Citizen Organizations, June 30, 2002
- Building Confidence in the Voter Registration Process: An NDI Monitoring Guide for Political Parties and Civic Organizations, Nov. 29, 2001
- Promoting Religious Freedom during the Campaign against Terrorism, congressional testimony, Nov. 27, 2001
- OSCE Human Dimension Seminar on Election Processes, opening remarks, May 29, 2001
- The Prospects for Free and Fair Elections in Peru, congressional testimony, March 14, 2001
- Zimbabwe: Democracy on the Line, congressional testimony, June 13, 2000
