<b>Conference Brief. </b>Executive Overreach in the Electoral Arena<b>: </b>Summary of Findings from an Expert Roundtable

<p dir="ltr">On May 12, 2025, the University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies hosted a panel focusing on the role of electoral institutions in safeguarding democracy against executive encroachment, as part of the Institute’s <b>Global Democracy Conference (GDC)</b>. Chaired by David Campbell (University of Notre Dame), the panel brought together Laura Gamboa (University of Notre Dame), Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College of Canada), Ugur Ozdemir (University of Edinburgh), and S. Y. Quraishi (former Chief Election Commissioner of India). Drawing on comparative and first-hand experience, the panelists analyzed how executives undermine electoral integrity, and discussed the conditions and strategies that enable political parties and electoral management bodies (EMBs) to resist authoritarian pressure. This brief synthesizes the panel’s insights and broader conference discussions to offer actionable recommendations for democratic actors and donors.</p>