This year the presidential and city and village councils elections are being simultaneously held in Iran on May 19th. Voting for the two elections takes place on the same day and the timeline and process, including the registration of candidates, vetting and campaign periods for the two elections are paralleled. There are two different observatory bodies overseeing the elections; Iran's Guardian Council oversees the presidential election while a parliamentary committee oversees the city and village elections.

The following infographic outlines the timeline for both elections.

Social media allows us to connect and interact with people around the globe, and more often than not social media is used to inform citizens about issues and draw in support for social change initiatives. To support citizens, activists and social change actors raise their voice and draw attention to the issues they care about, Nabz-Iran and Macholand developed this manual to support Iranians, and specifically Iranian women seeking to increase their presence and amplify their voices on the issues that matter via social media. The manual provides an with an overview of popular social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and offers tips on how to effectively use each platform to influence and drive change.

Election season is always a dynamic time in Iranian society, bringing out different voices and opinions about everything from the electoral process, to the Iranian leadership, to the role of government. Join Ali, Reza and Parisa in this episode of City Conversations as they debate and share their opinions on the upcoming election, voting, women's role in parliament, and much more!

When people think about elections, they mostly focus on voting. While election day is certainly a critical component, it is important to view elections as a long-term “cycle” in which the periods before and after the election equally contribute to the credibility of the process. For example in the pre-election period, if a candidate engages in widespread vote buying or if the election management body fails to educate voters, the overall integrity of the election is compromised.

Additionally, because elections are increasingly subject to international scrutiny, political actors seeking to manipulate election outcomes often carry out violations before or after the voting takes place when fewer eyes are watching. For these reasons and more, it is crucial to watch for violations throughout the entire election cycle.