Where the virus has put democracy on hold

As it spreads across the globe, the novel coronavirus has brought with it another crisis: postponed and canceled elections worldwide. Some politicians fear that encouraging people to go to the polls will hasten the circulation of the virus. Some politicians seem to be using this moment to entrench their power. We can't yet know the full impact this moment will have on democracy.

This list was compiled by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. It is reprinted with permission.

—The Editors

Australia: Local elections, scheduled for September, postponed for 12 months.

Austria: Municipal elections, postponed indefinitely.  

Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: General elections, postponed indefinitely.

Argentina: Municipal elections, scheduled March 2020, delayed to September 2020 or further.

Armenia: Referendum, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Bolivia: Presidential election, scheduled May 2020. To occur before August 2.

Cameroon: Local by-election, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Canada: Municipal and provincial elections, May 2020. Postponed until May 2021.

By-elections in British Columbia, Victoria, Rossland and Lytton, postponed indefinitely.

Referendum in Kamloops, postponed indefinitely.

Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Council Elections, postponed indefinitely.

Chile: Referendum, scheduled April 2020. Postponed to October 2020.  

Colombia: Local elections, scheduled April 2020. Postponed indefinitely.

Czech Republic: Senate by-elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Dominican Republic: Presidential election, scheduled May 2020, postponed until July 2020.

Ethiopia: Parliamentary elections, scheduled August 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Falkland Islands: Referendum on creating a single constituency, scheduled March 2020, postponed until September 2020.  

France: Municipal elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed until June 2020.

Gambia: By-election, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Germany: Municipal elections, scheduled March-September 2020, postponed until November (at the earliest).

Ghana:  New Patriotic Party primary elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Gibraltar: Referendum on abortion, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

India: Council of States elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Indonesia: Regional elections, scheduled September 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Iran: Parliamentary elections (second round), scheduled April 2020, postponed until September 2020.

Isle of Man: Local elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Italy: Referendum on lawmakers, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Municipal elections, scheduled May 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Kenya: Local by-elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Kyrgyzstan: Local elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Latvia:  Local snap elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to August 29.

Libya:  Municipal elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to June 2020.

Maldives: Local council elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Mexico: Local elections in Coahuila and Hidalgo, scheduled June 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Montenegro: Local elections in Tivat, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Nigeria: Senate by-elections, scheduled March and April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Local elections (Ondo State), scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Local elections (Cross River), scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

North Macedonia:  Parliamentary elections, scheduled March and April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Northern Cyprus: Presidential election, scheduled April 2020, postponed to October 2020.

Pakistan: By-elections, scheduled April 2020,  postponed indefinitely.

Paraguay: Local elections, scheduled July 2020, postponed to August 2020.

Peru: Local elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Poland: Presidential elections, scheduled May 2020, postponed to June or July 2020.

Romania: Local elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Russian Federation: Referendum on constitutional power, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Serbia: Parliamentary elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to June 2020.

Solomon Islands: By-elections, scheduled June 2020, postponed indefinitely.

South Africa:  By-elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Spain: Regional elections in Basque Country and Galicia, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Sri Lanka: Parliamentary elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to June 2020.

Switzerland: Federal popular vote, scheduled May 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Municipal elections in the cantons of Neuchâtel, Ticino and Luzern, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.

Syria:  Parliamentary elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to July 19.

Tunisia:  Municipal elections, scheduled March 2020, postponed indefinitely.

United Kingdom:  Local elections, May 2020. Postponed for one year.

Uruguay: Local elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed to October 2020.

Zimbabwe: Local by-elections, scheduled April 2020, postponed indefinitely.