Free and fair elections

The Need for Free and Fair Election

It is very important to have free and fair elections if the nation must progress. An election could be regarded as free and fair if the following things happen:

1. Free Opportunities to Register as a Voter: A situation where some politicians sit in a place and start to collate fictitious names with the intention of keeping cards to rig elections is not free and fair.
2. Free Opportunities to Contest in Election: When there is a level playing ground for politicians to contest elections, and candidates are not imposed by a godfather or godmother or because a candidate is wealthy. There is the need for the best candidate to emerge.
3. Placing Less Emphasis on Money: Some politicians believe in the highest bidder takes the lead. A highest bidder bidder is the one who provides the highest amount of money which are given to godfathers and mothers, and is then given the party’s mandate to contest election even without passing through primary elections.
4. Allowing Parties to Run Primaries: A primary election is the election conducted parties to elect a final nominee for inter-party elections. All aspirants must therefore be allowed to test their popularity and acceptability, rather than being imposed by either the incumbent government or by the political godfather.
5. Free Opportunities to Vote: A electorate does not have more than one vote for a particular party in an election. This single opportunity must not be deprived.
6. Avoidance of Rigging
7. Avoidance of Violence

Organization of Election

The parties involved must be well organized and have members throughout the federation. Like one national chairman throughout the federation and they must speak with one voice before the public.

Conditions Necessary for the Conduct of a Free and Fair Election

A ‘free’ electoral process is one where fundamental human rights and freedoms are respected. These include:

• Freedom of speech and expression by electors, parties, candidates and the media
• Freedom of association; that is, freedom to form organizations such as political parties and NGOs
• Freedom of assembly, to hold political rallies and to campaign
• Freedom of access to and by electors to transmit and receive political and electoral messages
• Freedom to register as an elector, a party or a candidate
• Freedom from violence, intimidation or coercion
• Freedom of access to the polls by electors, party agents and accredited observers
• Freedom to exercise the franchise in secret and
• Freedom to question, challenge and register complains or objections without negative repercussions.

A ‘fair’ electoral process is one where the ‘playing field’ is reasonably level and accessible to all electors, parties and candidates, and includes:

• An independent, non partisan electoral organization to administer the process
• Guaranteed rights and protection through the constitution and electoral legislation and regulations
• Equitable representation of electors provided through the legislation
• Clearly defined universal suffrage and secrecy of the vote
• Equitable and balanced reporting in the media, and equal access to public media
• Equitable opportunity for the electorate to receive political and voter information
• Equitable treatment of electors, candidates and parties by election officials, the government, police, military and the judiciary
• Open and transparent ballot counting process, and
• Election process not disrupted by violence, intimidation or coercion

Assessment

Mention 3 factors that explains a free and fair election