233 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "Any conditions which apply to the exercise of the rights protected by article 25 should be based on objective and reasonable criteria. For example, it may be reasonable to require a higher age for election or appointment to particular offices than for exercising the right to vote, which should be available to every adult citizen. The exercise of these rights by citizens may not be suspended or excluded except on grounds which are established by law and which are objective and reasonable. For example, established mental incapacity may be a ground for denying a person the right to vote or to hold office."
- "All stakeholders should have access to copies of laws and regulations."
- "The legal framework should be structured so that it is readily accessible to the public, transparent, addresses all the components of an electoral system necessary to ensure democratic elections, and is adopted sufficiently in advance of polling to be implemented."
- "Election legislation should be published and made readily available for the public."
- "States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on equal terms with men, the right: (b) To participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government."
- "In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in article 2 of this Convention, States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights: (c) Political rights, in particular the right to participate in elections-to vote and to stand for election-on the basis of universal and equal suffrage, to take part in the Government as well as in the conduct of public affairs at any level and to have equal access to public service."
- "Every citizen shall enjoy the following rights and opportunities: a. to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "The Parties shall create the conditions necessary for the effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities in cultural, social and economic life and in public affairs, in particular those affecting them."
- "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to have effective access, on a non-discriminatory basis, to participation in the government of his or her country and in the conduct of public affairs."
- "The following shall be declared as constitutional principles shared by all Member States: (d) Popular participation in decision-making, strict adherence to democratic principles and decentralization of power at all levels of governance."
- "It is the right and responsibility of all citizens to participate in decisions relating to their own development. This is also a necessary condition for the full and effective exercise of democracy. Promoting and fostering diverse forms of participation strengthens democracy."
- "SADC Member States shall adhere to the following principles in the conduct of democratic elections: Full participation of the citizens in the political process."
- "All persons have a right to participate in public affairs, including in civil society activities and, through their right to freedom of association, to form and join civil society organisations."
- "States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: a) women participate without any discrimination in all elections;b) women are represented equally at all levels with men in all electoral processes;c) women are equal partners with men at all levels of development and implementation of State policies and development programmes."
- "State Parties shall create the necessary conditions for full and active participation of women in the decision-making processes and structures at all levels as a fundamental element in the promotion and exercise of a democratic culture."
- "States shall promote the full and equal participation of women in the political structures of their countries as a fundamental element in the promotion and exercise of a democratic culture."
- "The legal framework regulating drawing boundaries for electoral units should state: The frequency of such determination; the criteria for such determination; the degree of public participation in the process; the respective roles of the legislature, judiciary and executive in the process; The ultimate authority for the final determination of the electoral units."
- "there should be a high degree of public participation in the process of drawing boundaries."
- "Traditionally, legal frameworks have allowed their representatives into election facilities including polling sites and counting centers, to witness voting, ballot counting and vote tabulation processes. Legal frameworks also recognize the right for such representatives to monitor many other processes, including, for example, drawing election districts, voter registration processes, as well as ballot production and distribution."
- "Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process by facilitating the deployment of representatives of political parties and individual candidates at polling and counting stations and by accrediting national and/other observers/monitors."
- "Democratic elections are not possible without respect for human rights, in particular freedom of expression and of the press, freedom of circulation inside the country, freedom of assembly and freedom of association for political purposes, including the creation of political parties. b. Restrictions of these freedoms must have a basis in law, be in the public interest and comply with the principle of proportionality."
- "Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right to participate in public affairs of their State of origin and to vote and to be elected at elections of that State, in accordance with its legislation."
- "Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law."
- "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "In general, these limitations fall within four categories: (1) minimum age requirements; (2) citizenship requirements; (3) residency requirements; and (4) loss of franchise due to mental incapacity, criminal conduct, or other factors. Any limitation or restriction on the right to vote, however, must be scrutinized as to whether it is clearly justified due to exceptional circumstances and whether it is proportionate to the circumstances in question."
- "[P]rovision may be made for depriving individuals of their right to vote and to be elected, but only subject to the following cumulative conditions. ii. it must be provided for by law; iii. the proportionality principle must be observed; conditions for depriving individuals of the right to stand for election may be less strict than for disenfranchising them; iv. The deprivation must be based on ... a criminal conviction for a serious offence. v. Furthermore, the withdrawal of political rights ... may only be imposed by express decision of a court of law. "
- "The law may regulate the exercise of the rights and opportunities referred to in the preceding paragraph [right to participate in government] only on the basis of age, nationality, residence, language, education, civil... capacity or sentencing by a competent court in criminal proceedings."
- "Reasonable restrictions [on voting] have included distinctions based on age, citizenship, residency..."
- "Reasonable restrictions may include factors such as residence, citizenship, convicted persons in legal detention, and those considered mentally incapacitated by the courts."
- "Reasonable restrictions may include factors such as residence, citizenship, current incarceration or having been convicted of a crime"
- "The UN Human Rights Committee has noted as impermissible 'excessive limitations on the voting rights of convicted criminals.'"
- "Voting rights should be based on considerations that include: citizenship; legal age of majority (this may differ from country to country); residency requirements; any other additional grounds for disqualification (eg, prisoners in detention, persons with a criminal record... and so on)."
- "Civil society capacity such as NGOs, Community Based Organisations (CBOs), faith based organisations (FBOs) and other institutions should harness and support civic and voter education to ensure effective distribution throughout the country...Political parties should provide their supporters with civic and voter education and information about the voting process which should be consistent with the voter education and information provided by the EMB."
- "The legal framework should also provide that citizen organizations are free to conduct voter education as long as it accurately describes the positions of electoral contestants and accurately describes voter registration and voting procedures."
- "The national election commission, certain government ministries, government-controlled media, the political parties and civic organizations typically assume responsibility for providing voter education"
- "The participating States consider that the presence of observers, both foreign and domestic, can enhance the electoral process for States in which elections are taking place."
- "While political parties, civic organizations and even international organizations may contribute to voter/civic education efforts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the government and the election authorities to ensure that voters receive objective and impartial information."
- "Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "Registered voters, or citizens more generally, should be allowed to sign ballot qualification petitions of more than one party and candidate, so that citizens are free to demonstrate their support for a system of political pluralism and are free from circumstances that could become politically coercive by being called upon to demonstrate support for just one party or candidate."
- "A requirement that voters may only sign in support of one candidate or party may also be problematic. In such instances, a candidate who has collected in good faith the required number of signatures may be disqualified through no fault of his or her own because voters have signed more than one petition. In a worst case, voters may deliberately sign more than one petition in order to try to disqualify a candidate."
- "Where practicable, political party agents should be encouraged to be involved in the registration process, to aid transparency and to assist by authenticating the process."
- "Provision should be made for political parties to monitor the voter registration process through party agents appointed by themselves. Parties should have access to the voters' roll, without charge."
- "Transparency requires that voter registers must be public documents that are available for inspection, without cost to the requester. The legal framework should clearly specify who may inspect, how the inspection will occur, and during what periods voter registers are available for public inspection."
- "Clear rules must be established for voting in polling stations, as well as other methods of voting, that include safeguards for secret balloting and that provide for monitoring by political contestants and election observers."
- "Candidates or political parties shall have the right to be represented at polling and counting stations by duly designated agents or representatives."
- "It is particularly important to guarantee the possibility of all parties and candidates to have observers during the election day. In this respect, it is evident that parties have some elements –permanent organization, membership, and so on- which help them in this task, and that are much more difficult to dispose of for other non-partisan candidates. These observers must have the right to control all the spheres of the voting process (polling boxes, election committees at all levels), to intervene – at least, to be heard- in the resolution of possible conflicts which may arise, and to inform the parties which they represent about the problems during the observation so that the latter could lodge appeals against any decision not grounded in legal terms."
- "Accredited agents of political parties and candidates, as well as accredited international and domestic observers, should be permitted to observe all polling activities."
- "The legal framework must address a myriad of issues to ensure a genuine opportunity to exercise the right to vote on the basis of equal and universal suffrage. These issues concern conditions outside the polling sites, as well as inside it, before, during and after voting takes place. The provisions must ensure, among other things, that: ...Transparency mechanisms allow effective monitoring by political parties, candidates, groups supporting and opposing referenda and other ballot initiatives, domestic nonpartisan election monitors, news media and international election observers."
- "The security of ballot boxes must be guaranteed and votes should be counted in the presence of the candidates or their agents."
- "Results should be verified by party counting agents, who should be asked formally to sign the result they have witnessed and be given a copy of the form signed by the presiding officer and the party counting agents. Party counting agents have a responsibility to remain until the end of a count, to observe the count by personnel appointed by the management body and to sign any correct tally, or else give reasons in writing for their objecting so to do."