When are elections considered
democratic?
Elections are held in
dictatorships and totalitarian systems too. However, they do not meet the necessary
criteria for them to be regarded as democratic. This section deals with the
"quality criteria" essential for a democratic election. Just what are
the criteria that have to be met in order for an election to be declared
democratic?
First and foremost the election
must offer a real choice, that is, the electorate must be free to choose between
alternatives. In addition to this basic criteria the following conditions must
also be met:
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Universal
suffrage
Universal suffrage means that all citizens
above a certain age have an equal right to vote and may offer themselves up as a candidate.
Race, sex, language, income, property, career, social standing, class,
education, religion and political conviction are all irrelevant.
One
man, one vote
One man, one vote means that each vote cast has
the same weight. This rules out the possibility, for instance, of votes from
higher-income groups carrying more weight than votes from the less well off.
The following phrase sums it up well:
|
One man, one vote, one
value |
Secret
ballot
In a secret ballot voters are able to cast
their votes without anyone else being able to determine how they voted. This is
very important to prevent people from being put under pressure because of the way
they vote.
Free
right to vote
A free right to vote means that all citizens can
decide for themselves whether they want to exercise their right to vote or not.
This is important to prevent pressure being put upon the electorate.
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