Former Ambassador Pamela Hyde Smith Speeches

 Ambassador Pamela Hyde Smith's Remarks at the Opening of the Conference “The Electoral Process and Civic Participation”

September 24, 2002

Hyde Smith at the Opening of the Conference “The Electoral Process and Civic Participation”

Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me to participate in the opening of this conference. I congratulate you and “The Association for Participatory Democracy,” in organizing this two-day event. “ADEPT” performs a valuable service in focusing attention on this vital aspect of the democratic process.
Free and fair elections, as we all know, are the absolute keystone of the democratic process. In a democracy, Election Day always carries a sense of solemn seriousness. The election campaign is over. The issues have been debated, often with passion. The candidates have spoken. Now it is for the people to speak, and to decide.

There are, of course, different ways of organizing elections, of structuring the democratic process. These are issues that you will be discussing here in the next days. You will be looking at case studies, and discussing issues such as campaign finance and building political coalitions. Ultimately it is up to the citizens of Moldova to decide for yourselves how your democratic political institutions are structured and how they will evolve. This conference will enable you to compare alternative models with specialists from other countries, including the American participants. I want to emphasize the non-partisan nature of this discussion. We certainly do not want to take sides in domestic political controversies; we do no favor any political party here nor are we representing any one political party’s perspective from outside Moldova.
Moldova is a new democracy; in the United States we have been at it for over two centuries now. Yet elections and election laws remain a relevant issue for us also. I need only remind you of our last presidential election, the closest and one of the most controversial in our history. But the system worked, we inaugurated our president, and he proceeded to exercise all the powers of his office. Our election, however, was a reminder that democracy truly is a “work in progress.”

You here at this conference are participating in this “work in progress.” I wish you much success in the coming days, as you examine important issues that will affect us all. Thank you very much.