(The following one-pager is taken from the U.S. Department of State publication, Principles of Democracy.)
Free and fair elections allow people living in a representative democracy to determine the political makeup and future policy direction of their nation’s government.
Universal suffrage for all eligible men and women to vote – democracies do not restrict this right from minorities, the disabled, or give it only to those who are literate or who own property.
- Universal suffrage for all eligible men and women to vote – democracies do not restrict this right from minorities, the disabled, or give it only to those who are literate or who own property.
- Freedom to register as a voter or run for public office.
- Freedom of speech for candidates and political parties – democracies do not restrict candidates or political parties from criticizing the performance of the incumbent.
- Numerous opportunities for the electorate to receive objective information from a free press.
- Freedom to assemble for political rallies and campaigns.
- Rules that require party representatives to maintain a distance from polling places on election day – election officials, volunteer poll workers, and international monitors may assist voters with the voting process but not the voting choice.
- An impartial or balanced system of conducting elections and verifying election results – trained election officials must either be politically independent or those overseeing elections should be representative of the parties in the election.
- Accessible polling places, private voting space, secure ballot boxes, and transparent ballot counting.
- Secret ballots – voting by secret ballot ensures that an individual’s choice of party or candidate cannot be used against him or her.
- Legal prohibitions against election fraud – enforceable laws must exist to prevent vote tampering (e.g. double counting, ghost voting).
- Recount and contestation procedures – legal mechanisms and processes to review election processes must be established to ensure that elections were conducted properly.
An impartial or balanced system of conducting elections and verifying election results – trained election officials must either be politically independent or those overseeing elections should be representative of the parties in the election.
- Accessible polling places, private voting space, secure ballot boxes, and transparent ballot counting.
- Secret ballots – voting by secret ballot ensures that an individual’s choice of party or candidate cannot be used against him or her.
- Legal prohibitions against election fraud – enforceable laws must exist to prevent vote tampering (e.g. double counting, ghost voting).
- Recount and contestation procedures – legal mechanisms and processes to review election processes must be established to ensure that elections were conducted properly.
• Voting methods – varying by country and even within countries – include:
Paper ballots – votes are marked on or punched through paper.
