ELECTORAL PROCESS

In each of the states in this group, citizens are guaranteed a fair electoral process through fair and transparent candidacy, campaigning and voting procedures. Electoral lists are updated automatically on a regular basis and the media is obligated to provide fair and balanced electoral coverage.

Where present, limits placed on electoral rights are done so in accordance with the law and deemed reasonable within the bounds of a democratic society. In some countries (Canada, Germany, Netherlands), imprisoned individuals or those convicted of severe crimes are not allowed to run for public office. Mental illness is also grounds for being denied candidature in Germany and the Netherlands.

Within the EU, citizens have the right to vote in EU and local elections in their country of residence. There is a similar system of voting reciprocity among the Scandinavian countries.

Within this group of countries, any restrictions placed on electoral rights are done so largely in accordance with the law. Fascist or national socialist parties are prohibited in Austria, and in some countries (Czech Republic, Spain and South Korea) there are mechanisms in place to bar anti-democratic parties or those that sanction the use of violence to reach political aims (e.g., ETA in Spain or communist parties in South Korea).

In Italy, a complex registration process favors large, established parties and disadvantages smaller or recently founded parties. The system also tolerates the presence of parties with platforms that are not in line with the country’s constitution.

In some states (UK, Spain, Australia and Slovakia), imprisoned individuals and/or those declared mentally ill by a court are denied electoral rights. In France, where electoral registration requires self-registration, citizens with an immigrant background are indirectly discriminated against. While electoral rights in the UK are extended to Irish and Commonwealth citizens, Australia has a compulsory voting system.

Although candidates and parties in each of these countries theoretically have equal opportunities of access to the media, fairness can be compromised by the lack of efficient control mechanisms in campaign financing (Austria), the prevalence of disproportionate access to economic resources among the parties (Greece, Czech Republic, Spain, UK) or by an incumbent party’s ability to attract greater media attention (Australia).

The United States' electoral system strongly favors the two major parties already in existence but does not bar new parties from being established. The absence of a national, uniform registration process across states serves to discriminate against the poorly educated.

In Mexico, legislation for party registration stipulating a minimum number of enrolled members and a two percent threshold in the first election serves to limit the emergence of new parties. Citizens’ opportunities to run for political office are also limited by persistent socioeconomic disparities and oligopolistic family and political clan structures.

Registration procedures in Turkey deliberately favor the ruling AKP party and discriminate against Kurdish candidates and parties. Turkey’s electoral process also suffers from an unreliable electoral register.