In 20 years of work with political parties in more than 50 countries, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) has seen that successful parties are those that are committed to best practices in outreach to new sectors, transparency, and internal democracy. Effective party engagement with civil society can strengthen all three of these areas as explored in this workbook for party activists and trainers.

The Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers establish the basis for credible international election observation.

This handbook discusses organizational and procedural elements necessary for the daily operation of a political party and emphasizes the need to develop a party’s outreach capacity at the local level. It outlines strategies for long-term party development and for maintaining effectiveness between elections.