The year 2024 is poised to be a momentous occasion as it plays host to national elections in over 60 countries worldwide. With an estimated 2 billion voters – roughly a quarter of the global population – expected to participate, this year has been designated as a “super election year.” Of particular interest are the closely monitored elections in populous countries such as the United States, Mexico, India, and Indonesia.

In January, Taiwan saw the election of a new president, Lai Ching-te, who hails from the center-left Democratic Progressive Party. Meanwhile, Bangladesh witnessed the re-election of President Sheikh Hasina, although the legitimacy of the election was called into question due to alleged irregularities and the prior arrests of thousands of opposition members. Reports indicate that only 38 percent of the elections scheduled for 2024 have been identified as potentially flawed, with 75 percent classified as free or partially free.

Numerous countries are also grappling with the menace of misinformation and disinformation, with India ranking it as the primary risk out of 34 possible dangers according to a panel of over 1,000 experts surveyed by the World Economic Forum. The U.S., Mexico, and the U.K. are similarly vulnerable to this issue, as elections are slated for 2025 but may be advanced to this year.

Moreover, some elections are in jeopardy of not transpiring at all. Recent coups in Burkina Faso have cast doubt on the likelihood of the planned general election taking place. Chad’s parliamentary elections have been postponed multiple times, with the current date set for October 2024, and Mali’s presidential election has encountered delays. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has affirmed that elections will not be held under martial law, which has been in effect since the Russian invasion. Additionally, residents of the 27 European Union countries will head to the polls for a supranational election this summer to elect a new European Parliament. Notably, a subnational election is also set to take place in Somaliland, an autonomous and relatively stable region of Somalia.

As 2024 progresses, the world will be attentively observing these elections, as they have the potential to mold the global political landscape for years to come.