Democracy Volunteers Director Participates in Canadian Vote Summit 2025

Democracy Volunteers was represented at the Canadian Vote Summit 2025 by our Director, Dr John Ault, who attended the event in Montreal from 20–21 May. Organised by the Canadian-based Democratic Engagement Exchange, the summit brought together experts from government, academia, and civil society to discuss key issues facing democratic systems in Canada and beyond. The event particularly focused on the challenges to the recent federal election in Canada.

He joined a series of discussions on election integrity, voter engagement, and the growing threat of misinformation. Drawing on Democracy Volunteers’ experience in observing elections across Europe and North America, he provided insights into the importance of transparency, accessibility, and public confidence in the democratic process.

Commenting on the event, Dr Ault said:
“The Canadian Vote Summit was both interesting and timely. It made a useful contribution to the growing international conversation about how we confront the challenges of election interference and strengthen public trust in democracy.”

The summit included sessions on a wide range of topics, including the modernisation of electoral systems, digital engagement, and the challenges of AI to elections. One highlight was the panel discussion “2024 Election Reflections: Global Trends Shaping Canada’s Electoral Future”, which provided valuable context on how global democratic trends are influencing policy and practice in Canada.

Dr Ault’s attendance underlines Democracy Volunteers’ ongoing commitment to sharing best practice and learning from international approaches to election observation and democratic resilience. The event also helped to build Democracy Volunteers’ links with organisations working in North America.

For more information about the Canadian Vote Summit, visit the Democratic Engagement Exchange website. https://www.engagedemocracy.ca/cvs2025