The Long Election: When Do We Stop Observing?

Abstract

This In Brief reflects on an incident of political intimidation that occurred after the November 2014 Solomon Islands national election. From this incident it is clear that the local effects of elections extend well beyond the formal events of campaigning, polling day and counting the vote. However, the aftermath of elections at the local level has hardly been researched at all. Therefore, it is necessary to consider what research tools may be useful in observing these ongoing political events. Here I flag the importance of long-term relationships and social media.