Honduras
- Boundary Delimitation
- Direct Democracy
- Electoral Management
- Electoral Systems
- Legislative Framework
- Media and Elections
- Parties and Candidates
- Vote Counting
- Voter Education
- Voting Operations
- Voter Registration
Boundary Delimitation
BD01 Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
b. No, existing regional/provincial/other boundaries are used
Comments: For electoral purposes, the electoral division is made it respecting the geographical limits at national, departmental, municipal and sectorial level.
Source: Electoral Law: Artícle 55.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 19:11:07 UTC
BD03 On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
h. Not applicable
Comments: Boundaries are not drawn.
Source: Electoral Law: Article 55.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 19:21:14 UTC
Electoral Management
EM01 Please provide the following contact information for the national electoral management body:
a. Name of Institution Tribunal Nacional de Elecciones
b. Full Address Col. El Prado, frente a SYRE, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, C.A.
c. Telephone (504) 231-0320
f. Website Address http://www.tse.hn/
g. Name and Title of Chairperson/President Abog. Jacobo Hernández Cruz, President.
h. Information Officer Abog. Gilberto Ochoa, Secretary
i. Official language of the electoral law governing national elections Spanish
Source: Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE)
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM02 Does this national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
a. National level
b. Regional level
c. Local level
d. Other kinds of elections (church, union, etc.) Please specify.
Comments: The National Election Tribunal is responsible for the elections to: President of the Republic, candidates for President of the Republic, deputies of the National Congress, deputies of the Central American Parliament, and members of the municipal corporations. Besides the National Election Tribunal oversees the internal elections of the political parties.
Source: C: 51. LE: 1, 19, and 103.
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM04 The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
c. The legislature
Comments: The National Election Tribunal submits to the Executive, through the corresponding ministry, the budget for the electoral organizations, except the one of the National Registry, which submits its own budget. The National Congress has the power to approve detailed annual budgets of income and expenditures of decentralized institutions.
Source: C: 205. EL: 104.
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM05 The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
c. The legislature
g. Other
Comments: g. The electoral organization controls its own expeditures, but, c. it has to present an annual report to the legislature in order to inform about its activities and those of the electoral organizations under its command.
Source: EL: 103.
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM06 The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
b. For a term of _________ years
Comments: Four years. The members of the National Election Tribunal are appointed by the Executive, through the State and Justice Department. It is formed by a holding member and a substitute designated by the Supreme Court as well as a holding member and a substitute designated by each of the political parties legally registered. If for some reason there is a change in the number of parties entitled to designate members, and therefore the plenary session is made up by an even number, the Executive designates an additional member, from a prior designation of the Supreme Court, in order to have an odd total number of members. The members of the National Election Tribunal will only leave their assignments upon request of the authorities that designated them, if it is confirmed that they do not fulfill the requirements stated by the law, or if they resign.
Source: C: 51 to 53. EL: 83, 102 and 103.
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM08 According to official sources, what was the estimated overall cost (in US dollars if available) of the most recent national elections?
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
EM09 What was the total number of registered voters or, where there was no voter roll, the estimated number of eligible voters?
a. Total number: 3,437,454 citizens
Last updated: 2007-10-19 16:18:05 UTC
Electoral Systems
ES01 How is the Head of State selected?
a. Head of State is the Head of Government
Source: Constitution: Articles 235 and 245.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 20:48:40 UTC
ES02 How is the Head of Government selected?
a. Directly elected in general elections (simple majority)
Comments: The presidential term is four years long, reelection is not allowed.
Source: Constitution: Articles 236, 237 and 239.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 20:52:19 UTC
ES03 Does the country have a president?
a. Yes
Comments: The President is elected for a four-year term. The current President is Manuel Zelaya, for the Liberal Party of Honduras (PLH), since January, 2006.
Source: Constitution: 235.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 20:59:51 UTC
ES04 The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
a. One chamber
Comments: The Legislative is constituted by one single Chamber, the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de Diputados).
Source: Constitution: Article 189.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 21:07:19 UTC
ES05 What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
g. List Proportional Representation
Comments: The Legislative is constituted by one single Chamber, the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de Diputados), made up by a fixed number of 128 deputies and their respective substitutes for a four-year term, elected by direct suffrage. A proportional representation list system is used. There are 18 constituencies with a variable number of seats. Every department makes up a constituency to which a number of seats is assigned based on a national population quotient set by the electoral authority. In those departments with a population lower than the quotient set by the National Election Tribunal, one holding deputy is elected with his respective substitute.
Source: Constitution: Articles 46, 189, 196 and 202. Electoral Law: Article 3.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 21:17:06 UTC
ES11 If special constituencies or seats are reserved in Chamber 1, specify which interest groups, and the proportion of total seats reserved for:
e. Not applicable *
Last updated: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 20:13:44 GMT
Legislative Framework
LF01 What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
b. Separate legislation
d. Regulations or administrative rules
Comments: The Constitution includes a chapter related to the electoral function, which generally deals with the structure and attributions of the electoral authority; however, the electoral law is the law which details all issues related to the organization, management and supervision of the electoral processes, including the regulations for political parties. Besides, there is a law for the exercise of the suffrage of the Honduran citizens living abroad (LVE), as well as a regulation for home voting (RVD).
Source: Constitution: Article 51.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 22:39:50 UTC
LF03 The national electoral law covers:
a. National elections
b. Regional elections
c. Local elections
d. Referendums
e. Other
Comments: The electoral law regulates all electoral processes held in the Republic. The National Election Tribunal (NET) has authority to call for general elections for all popular election posts: President of the Republic, deputies to the National Congress, deputies to the Central American Parliament and members of municipal corporations. Besides, the National Election Tribunal oversees the internal elections of political parties, as well as the organization of referendums and plebiscites.
Source: Constitution: Article 51. Electoral Law: Articles 1, 5, 19
Last updated: 2007-09-20 22:39:50 UTC
LF04 Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
b. Voting is compulsory and regulated in the electoral law
c. Voting is compulsory and regulated in the constitution
Comments: All Honduran citizens who are 18 years of age or above have the right to vote. Suffrage is universal, compulsory, egalitarian, direct, free and secret. It is considered a right and a public function, but there are no sanctions for non-voters.
Source: Constitution. Article 44; EL: 6; International IDEA Voter Turnout Website (http://www.idea.int/vt/)
Last updated: 2007-09-20 22:39:50 UTC
LF07 What are the agency(ies) responsible for first level of formal electoral disputes?
b. EMB
Comments: The National Election Tribunal is obliged to inform the judicial competent authority for the corresponding legal purposes about all the electoral disputes. However, has the power to solve and impose sanctions for electoral disputes of administrative nature.
Source: Electoral Law: Articles 208 to 218.
Last updated: 2007-09-20 22:39:50 UTC
Media and Elections
ME01 Please provide information about the person completing the questionnaire.
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME11 What laws, if any, guarantee freedom of access to public information for representatives of the media?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME13 What are the laws, if any, which govern the operations of the public broadcaster?
Specify the date of the latest version (including latest amendments)
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME18 What are the laws, if any, that provide for the safeguards for editorial autonomy in relation to the public broadcaster(s)?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME19 What are the laws, if any, which govern the granting of broadcasting licenses/frequencies to private broadcasters?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME22 What are the legal conditions, if any, under which the activities of a media outlet may be suspended?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME37 What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
h. Not applicable
Comments: There is no allocation of free broadcast time or free printed advertisement space to political parties.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME38 What, if any, is the maximum amount that a political party is permitted to spend on paid advertising during a campaign period?
b. The law does not specify any limits on paid advertising X
Comments: The law does not specify any limits on paid advertising
Source: International IDEA research, February 2007
Last updated: 2007-02-13 13:55:30 UTC
ME55 What, if any, is the maximum amount that a presidential candidate is permitted to spend on paid advertising?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME56 What are the laws, if any, which govern the disclosure of campaign advertising expenditures by political parties and candidates?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME57 What, if any, is the maximum amount that a media outlet can charge parties/candidates for advertising during the campaign?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
ME58 How does this maximum amount (identified in question C.15.1) affect the political participation of smaller or newly formed parties?
Last updated: 2007-01-17 08:49:23 UTC
Parties and Candidates
PC01 What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
a. Signature requirement (specify requirement)
c. Regional distribution requirement
f. Other
Comments: Citizens' list who support the request (Minimum signature of 2% of the valid votes casted during the last general election for president. The political party must prove its presence in more than half of the departments and municipalities of the country, and must file before the National Election Tribunal a registration application with a constituent statement through notarial deed, a declaration of principles and the statutes that regulate its activities.
Source: Electoral Law: Article 65.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 01:12:44 UTC
PC02 What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 2)?
g. Not applicable
Comments: The Congress is unicameral.
Source: Constitution: Article 189.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:27:52 UTC
PC03 What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
a. Age
b. Citizenship
d. Residence
j. Other
Comments: 21 years of age. To be in full possession of civil rights and to be secular.
Source: Constitution: Article 198.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 01:12:44 UTC
PC04 What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 2)?
k. Not applicable
Comments: The congress is unicameral.
Source: Constitution: Article 189.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:53:02 UTC
PC08 Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
e. In both presidential and legislative elections
Source: Electoral Law: Articles 5, 130.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:56:35 UTC
PC12 Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
b. Direct
c. Indirect
Source: Electoral Law: Articles 70, 81, 220 and 221.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 01:04:54 UTC
PC15 What is the basis of the public funding?
b. Based on result of previous election
Comments: The Executive grants to political parties participating in general elections the sum of L. 20.00 (twenty lempiras) for every valid vote obtained in the last elections. A political party will never receive less than 15% (fifteen per cent) of the sum assigned to the party obtaining the biggest number of votes, except if that party has obtained less than 10,000 votes.
Source: Electoral Law: Article 82.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 01:09:56 UTC
Vote Counting
VC04 Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
a. At the polling stations
Source: Electoral Law: Article 173.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 01:15:24 UTC
VC11 Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
d. By request
Source: TNE.
Last updated: Fri, 04 Apr 2003 03:11:41 GMT
Voter Education
VE01 Who conducts voter education and information campaigns at the national elections (informing where, when and how to register and vote)?
a. National Electoral Management Body
b. Regional Electoral Management Bodies
c. Local/County Electoral Management Bodies
g. NGOs/ Civic Organizations
h. Political parties/ candidates
i. Media
Source: Electoral Law: Art. 155.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 19:31:01 UTC
VE02 At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
b. Election time only
Comments: The Supreme Electoral Tribunal includes some basic information in its webpage. The voter education strategy is applied only in the election period.
Source: Supreme Electoral Tribunal (SET)
Last updated: 2007-10-30 19:56:18 UTC
VE03 Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
b. Yes, conducted by the National Electoral Management Body
h. Yes, conducted by NGOs/ Civic Organizations
i. Yes, conducted by Political Parties/ Candidates
j. Yes, conducted by the Media
Comments: The electoral law consider civic education activities, but there are not any official provision about how and when they can be implemented.
Source: Electoral Law: Article 157
Last updated: 2007-10-30 20:35:24 UTC
Voting Operations
VO03 Where can electors vote?
a. At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections
Source: Electoral Law: Article 169.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:47:51 UTC
VO04 Who can vote from outside the country?
b. Citizens residing outside the country
Comments: The vote of Honduran citizens abroad is regulated by the External Voting Law, decreed on June 19th, 2001. It came into force for the first in the presidential election of October 2001.
Source: External Voting Law: Article 1.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:14:50 UTC
VO05 If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
b. Consulates
Comments: In order to allow Honduran citizens to cast their vote abroad, the general consulates or the consular sections are considered auxiliary electoral organizations.
Source: External Voting Law: Article 2.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:04:37 UTC
VO10 Is there a maximum allowable voter capacity of a polling station for the national elections?
a. Yes, the maximum capacity is: 300 voters
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:47:51 UTC
VO11 How do electors cast their votes?
a. By manually marking the ballot
Source: Electoral Law: Article 169.
Last updated: 2007-10-31 00:14:50 UTC
VO12 How many staff are assigned to each polling station?
a. The smallest polling station: Three at least
b. The largest polling station: Three at least
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:47:51 UTC
Voter Registration
VR01 What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
c. 18
Source: Constitution: Article 36. Electoral Law: Article 6.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:41:22 UTC
VR02 Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
a. Citizenship
Comments: Honduran citizens have the duty and the right to be registered in the electoral roll, to obtain an identity card and to exercise the suffrage.
Source: Constitution: Article 37. Electoral Law: Articles 6 and 7.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:41:22 UTC
VR04 Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
d. Election Management Body (specify)
Comments: The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (SET) is responsible of the national electoral census. According to the Constitution, The National Registry of Persons (a public an independent body) has the duty to give all the necessary information to the SET in order to prepare de national electoral census. The Registry Office is responsible for issuing identity cards to all Honduran citizens and for making the national electoral roll.
Source: Constitution: Articles 39, 55. Electoral Law: Article 45.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:41:22 UTC
VR08 Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
a. Yes
Comments: As previously stated, the electoral registry is made up from the information contained in the national registry. According to the Constitution, enrolling in the national registry is compulsory.
Source: Constitution: Article 39. Electoral Law: Article 6.
Last updated: 2007-10-30 22:41:22 UTC
20/05/2008 07:19
