Summary
The scheduling of voting processes must allow adequate time to successfully implement other necessary components of the electoral process.
Obligations
Election Parts
Criteria
- The election calendar provided sufficient time for a review of the boundaries to take place as necessary
- The electoral calendar allowed sufficient time for all aspects of the electoral process to take place, including vote counting
- The scheduling of elections granted sufficient time for a complete and comprehensive voter education program
- An electoral management body implemented elections with adequate time to implement all parts of the electoral process
- The electoral calendar included adequate time to implement all parts of the electoral process, including the electoral dispute resolution processes
- The legal framework included a realistic electoral calendar that allowed adequate time to successfully implement all aspects of the election
- The electoral calendar provided adequate time to prepare for and implement all aspects of the election process, including voting operations and election-day procedures
Quotes
- Moreover, considerations of expediency and the necessity for tight time-limits designed to avoid delaying the electoral process, although often justified, may nevertheless not serve as a pretext for undermining the effectiveness of electoral procedures (see, mutatis mutandis, Namat Aliyev, cited above, ยง 90).
- Tak[e] proactive measures to eliminate all barriers in law and in practice that prevent or hinder citizens, in particular women, persons belonging to marginalized groups or minorities, persons with disabilities and persons in vulnerable situations, from participating fully in effectively in political and public affairs, including, inter alia, reviewing and repealing measures that unreasonably restrict the right to participate in public affairs, and considering adopting, on the basis of reliable data on participation, temporary special measure, including legislative acts, aimed at increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in all aspects of political and public life;
- Attention should also be given to the appropriate time interval between calling and setting elections, so that parties and candidates have sufficient time to prepare for elections, particularly for communicating political messages to the electorate.
- Each time elections are scheduled, the dates set out in the calendar for each phase of the process must allow adequate time for effective campaigning and public information efforts, for voters to inform themselves, and for the necessary administrative, legal, training and logistic arrangements to be made. The electoral calendar should itself be publicized as part of civic information activities, in the interests of transparency and of securing public understanding and confidence in the process.