Chinese Delegation to Observe Elections in Springfield, Ill.

CONTACT:  DEANNA CONGILEO
[email protected], 404-420-5108

ATLANTA.....The Carter Center will host a delegation of election officials from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs for an observation of the U.S. elections on Nov. 7, 2006.

The group of 8 election officials from the national, provincial, and municipal governments in China will witness the election in progress in Springfield, Il. On Nov. 6, they will meet with local, county, and state government officials, and on Nov. 7, they will visit the polls. The next day the group will talk with students and faculty at the University of Illinois in Springfield before visiting The Carter Center in Atlanta.

"The Chinese election officials are here to gain knowledge to improve the quality of their village, township, and county elections, said Dr. Yawei Liu, director of the Carter Center's China Program. "They will not be issuing formal findings, but will share with others their impressions of the process."

Since 1998, The Carter Center has observed China village, township, and county election procedures; provided assistance in gathering election data, educating voters, and training officials; and hosted Chinese officials to observe U.S. elections. The Chinese government began direct People's Congress deputy elections in 1978 and direct village elections in 1988. In addition to holding elections in some 650,000 villages, China is conducting direct elections of township and county People's Congress deputies, reaching 70 percent of the nation's 1.3 billion people.

For interviews, call Dr. Liu at 678-481-3719.