Elections, the key to unlock Democracy

Request Independent Observatory from C.C.I International

Choice of leadership: Elections tend to make a basic contribution to democratic governance. Elections give power to voters to choose their leaders and hold them answerable for their performance and level of service in office.

Such responsibility to serve the nation and people can be undermined when appointed leaders don’t care whether they get elected. This happens when one coalition or party is so much dominant that there is no option for voters to choose among substitute parties, policies or candidates. The possibility to control leaders by needing them to submit to periodic elections assist in solving the issue of succession in leadership. In this way, it contributes to the continuance of democracy.

A government party or a candidate who failed to work for the welfare of a common man can be removed from the position through elections. In this way, regular elections prevent the government from becoming cruel and autocrat. It instills a sense of fear in them to make the people work honestly and correctly.

There are varied methods to conduct an election in different nations. Voters can vote for a candidate or any political party. This is because different nations make use of a different voting mechanism. Countries that aren’t democracies can even hold elections. By doing this, they allow people to select a local representative.

Election observation is fundamentally an exercise in support of democracy. Election observers serve as impartial watchdogs who can assess whether the results of an election truly reflect the will of the people. Genuine democratic elections do not guarantee democratic governance, but are a prerequisite for it. They provide political legitimacy for elected leaders and a foundation from which to govern, reducing the scope for non-democratic challenges to power. They serve to resolve competition for political power peacefully and are more likely to lead to stability than non-democratic forms of succession.

This Encyclopedia topic includes two subtopics: international observation and citizen observation. International and citizen election observation are activities that have emerged over the last few decades in an effort to promote transitions to democratic forms of governance. The objectives and impact of observers must not be overstated. While often attributed to a wide range of aims and objectives, election observation's core goals are modest but important. They are; provide accurate and impartial reporting on the quality of elections to the public, media, and international community; and demonstrate the interest of the international community and the civil society in the host country's elections and democratization.