Over 25 African countries had planned elections for 2020. In the face of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, states resorted to one of two courses of action: adherence to planned electoral timelines in the shadow of the outbreak, which largely led to record low voter turnouts and hastened the spread of the virus; or adjourning elections with ill-defined election programming, constitutional tensions and unrest over delayed polls. The global health crisis not only frustrated the organization of the electoral process but set severe challenges to democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the region at a time of landmark elections, notably in Ethiopia, Burundi and Malawi. This article analyses initial state responses in electoral administration in light of international electoral norms, and interrogates the role of national and regional mechanisms in securing safe, inclusive, timely, free and fair elections amid new infectious disease outbreaks.

超过 25 个非洲国家计划在 2020 年举行选举。 面对 3 月开始的 COVID-19 大流行，各州采取了两种行动方案之一：在爆发的阴影下遵守计划的选举时间表，这在很大程度上导致记录低投票率并加速病毒传播；或以不明确的选举计划、宪法紧张局势和因延迟的民意调查而引起的骚乱而休会。全球健康危机不仅阻碍了选举进程的组织，而且在具有里程碑意义的选举期间，尤其是在埃塞俄比亚、布隆迪和马拉维，对该地区的民主、法治和人权构成了严峻挑战。本文根据国际选举规范分析了选举管理中的初始国家反应，