Alejandro Trelles

Alejandro Trelles is a political scientist and the Richman Family Foundation Professor of Politics at Brandeis University. His work explores how elections actually function on the ground—from the design of electoral institutions to the role of political parties in shaping democratic outcomes.

Based on more than a decade of fieldwork across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, as well as hands-on experience working with electoral authorities and international organizations, his research offers a unique perspective on the challenges of organizing free and fair elections.

His book, Why Elections Need Parties (Cambridge University Press, 2026), argues that including political parties within electoral institutions can strengthen transparency, accountability, and democratic stability.