Embassy News
PAS Speaker Supports Free and Fair Elections (11 June 2008)
US elections expert, Karen Strickler, promoted the skills and knowledge to manage free and fair elections in a ten day visit to Moldova. Among her meetings with government, media and civil society representatives, she held consultations with the leadership of nearly all eight major political parties, and trained women political leaders, youth and NGOs on grassroots campaigning and how to develop clear and compelling messages. She spent eight hours on Sunday teaching about and participating in door-to-door canvassing, and modeled how to host a campaign "house party". Additionally, she provided two seminars for media on effective campaign coverage "beyond counting the status of the horse race." and led a roundtable discussion with local elected officials on how to become more influential in their national parties. A dinner salon hosted by Kelly Keiderling, the DCM, closed the week with a spirited discussion of factors impacting American elections, and their relationship to next year's Moldovan contest.