Across Africa, AI now helps clean voter rolls, verify voters’ identities on election day, answer voters’ questions, and moderate election content online. It is also used to create deepfakes of candidates, flood messaging groups with false claims, and target voters with tailored messages. Done well, AI can make elections more efficient, inclusive and trusted. Done badly, it can disenfranchise eligible voters, undermine confidence in results and distort the information voters rely on. This course trains the people who run, observe, regulate and report on elections to govern AI so it strengthens democracy rather than weakening it.

Who it’s for

Staff and commissioners of election management bodies, especially ICT, legal, operations and communications teams; election observers and civil society monitors; media regulators, journalists and fact-checkers; data protection authorities; political party compliance officers; platform policy teams; and parliamentary and judicial staff working on electoral matters. No technical background is needed.

What you’ll be able to do

• Explain how AI systems used in elections work and fail.
• Map where AI appears across the electoral cycle.
• Apply democratic principles, rights and inclusion to AI decisions.
• Identify the African, regional and national legal frameworks that apply.
• Design AI governance for an election management body, including procurement under public scrutiny.
• Protect voter data and biometrics, and assure the integrity of election technology.
• Respond to disinformation and deepfakes, and govern AI in campaigns and political advertising.
• Monitor, observe and assure AI in elections, and support fair dispute resolution.

How it works

Twelve modules, about 48 hours in total, at your own pace. Short readings and interactive practice set in fictional countries and elections. Practice is never marked.

Assessment: module quizzes, four applied assignments marked against a published rubric, a timed final exam, and a capstone in which you design AI governance for a fictional election commission ahead of a general election.

This course is strictly non-partisan. It uses fictional countries, commissions, parties and candidates, and makes no judgements about real elections or results.

Certificate

Complete every step to earn the Certificate in AI Governance for Elections, a verifiable digital certificate and Open Badge, showing your capstone result.