Financing of Electoral Processes BRIDGE workshop

The New Zealand Electoral Commission, through its Pacific Electoral Assistance Programme (PEAP), hosted a regional BRIDGE workshop in Auckland from 16 to 18 March 2026. The workshop brought together 14 female and 11 male officials from Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) across the Pacific, all of whom are involved in financial administration within their respective institutions. The three-day ‘Financing of Electoral Processes’ workshop focused on strengthening participants’ understanding of key principles, standards, and practices for sound financial planning in election administration.

The program covered the full spectrum of electoral financing, including foundational concepts, stakeholder roles, budgeting processes, procurement, funding sources, and financial controls. Participants explored practical tools and methodologies to support effective financial planning, while also examining election cost structures, budget frameworks, and different funding models applicable to EMB contexts.

A key feature of the workshop was the sharing of country presentations from Bougainville, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The presentations recorded were essential for future use, highlighted diverse national experiences and emphasised the importance of context specific financial management. The final day focused on applying learning through a practical scenario, where participants developed and presented business cases for supplementary election funding.

Feedback from participants was very positive, with reflections highlighting enhanced knowledge, stronger collaboration, improved financial understanding, and valuable networking opportunities. The interactive nature of the workshop and the opportunity to engage with peers from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds contributed to a supportive and collaborative learning environment.

The workshop highlighted the importance of strengthening financial planning capacity across Pacific EMBs and identified a clear need for continued capacity-building initiatives, particularly in election financing and broader financial management. It also highlighted the value of developing more Pacific-focused case studies and promoting the sharing of regional best practices.