Executive Summary Introduction As election authorities work to conduct elections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, their efforts may be undermined if the information space around elections is inadequately defended. Viral misinformation, disinformation campaigns directed by anti-democratic and opportunistic actors and the amplification and weaponization of hate speech create immediate and long-term electoral integrity challenges for democracies. Changes to election procedures due to COVID-19 in particular may provide fertile ground for information manipulation that can disenfranchise or endanger voters. As challenges multiply, authoritarian actors looking to capitalize on the confusion will continue to push narratives to undermine confidence in democratic institutions and processes. This paper will focus on how viral misinformation, hate speech and disinformation-laced influence operations by domestic and foreign actors impact the information environment around COVID-19, with implications for electoral integrity, trust in democracy and the protection of fundamental human rights, including political rights. Defining the Problem The proliferation of information about COVID-19 has created what the World Health Organization (WHO) terms an “infodemic,” in which individuals struggle to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it. While the overabundance and varying reliability of COVID-19 information has broad implications for public health, it also impacts the ability to conduct elections with integrity during these unprecedented times. Public safety necessitates a range of alterations to election processes and procedures, as discussed in depth in the first paper in this International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) COVID-19 Briefing Series, Safeguarding Health and Elections.1 The combination of significant changes to once-familiar voting processes and increased difficulty identifying reliable information create an environment vulnerable to misunderstanding and manipulation. In the context of elections, the information challenges stemming from the proliferation of COVID-19 content are only adding to the preexisting challenges to mitigating misinformation, disinformation and hate speech. In addition to misinformation – which by definition is incorrect information generated without the intent to deceive – domestic and foreign actors are using COVID-19 disinformation and hate speech for political advantage and to amplify anti-democratic sentiment. Major Findings and Recommendations This paper focuses on identifying the implications of information integrity challenges related to COVID-19 on the electoral cycle, including the campaign period, electoral administration and operations, and the post-electoral period. Lessons learned from the ways in which misinformation, disinformation and hate speech have played out in previous electoral contexts are used to anticipate how COVID-19 may alter and heighten these harms. Though longer-term interventions are essential to building resilience to information integrity challenges, this paper tries to anticipate and address immediate challenges stemming from COVID-19. ƒ Implications for the Integrity of the Campaign Period: With limited avenues for campaigning during the pandemic, parties and candidates are likely to move online to International Foundation for Electoral Systems -3-