Info

Yemen

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Boundary Delimitation

BD001

Delimitation of constituencies

Question:	Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	The country shall be divided into (301) constituencies which are demographically equal in view of the general census. In this regard, an error of estimate ±.05 shall be tolerated. Each constituency shall elect one parliamentary member.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 1, article 2 (16) and chapter 5, section 1, article 52. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

BD003

Criteria for drawing boundaries

Question:	On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):	a. "Equality" of population e. Geographic size of district f. Communities of interest/cultural concerns
Comments:	Designating constituencies throughout the country. The designation of constituencies shall be governed by the principle of demographic equity and by other geographic and social considerations. The formation of constituencies shall be made public by means of a presidential order.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, part 3, section 1, article 22 (a, b). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

BD005

Body responsible for drawing boundaries

Question:	The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):	d. Boundary Commission
Comments:	Dividing constituencies into electoral and district centers which are demographically equal in view of the general census. In this regard, an error of estimate ±.05 may be tolerated.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, part 3, section 1, article 22 (a, b). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

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Electoral Systems

ES001

Head of State

Question:	How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):	c. Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments:	The president is Head of State. The president is selected through popular elections, where the 1st round is a direct election. If none of the candidates receive an absolute majority a 2nd round will be held.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 5, part 2, article 64 (a, b, c, d, e, f) and article 66. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/06

ES002

Head of Government

Question:	How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:	f. Other
Comments:	The President appoints the Prime Minister (Head of Government), who forms a government.
Source:	Constitution, chapter 3, part 2, section 1, article 119 (4) Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/06

ES003

President

Question:	Does the country have a president?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	The President is the Head of State and he is elected according to the constitution.
Source:	Constitution, chapter 3, part 2, section 1, article 106 (a) Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/06

ES004

Number of Chambers

Question:	The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:	b. Two chambers
Comments:	A new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created a bicameral parliament is composed of an upper house, the Consultative Council, and a lower house, the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives has legislative powers while the Consultative Council serves only in an advisory capacity.
Source:	http://www.pogar.org/countries/yemen/index.html Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/06

ES005

Electoral System (Chamber 1)

Question:	What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):	a. Plurality (FPTP)
Comments:	Voting takes place in single-member districts and the candidates who receives a simple majority wins.
Source:	Election Law, article 53. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/06

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Legislative Framework

LF001

Status of Electoral Law

Question:	What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Part of Constitution b. Separate legislation
Comments:	The General Elections and Referendum Law is part of the constitution of the country as the same articles are mentioned in both.
Source:	Constitution and the General Elections and Referendum Law of the country. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2009/08/13

LF003

Electoral Law covers

Question:	The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):	a. National elections c. Local elections d. Referendums
Comments:
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 1, article 2 (3, 6, 21). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/04/25

LF004

Compulsory/voluntary voting

Question:	Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):	a. Voting is voluntary
Comments:
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, part 1, section 1, article 2 (4). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/04/25

LF007

Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)

Question:	What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):	a. Judiciary
Comments:	Penalties resulting from violations of the Election Law shall be applied exclusively by courts. The Public Prosecutor's Office shall undertake all enquiries and investigation in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedures. The Supreme Elections Committee, main, supervisory and sub-committees as well as any voter with vested interest shall have the right to file law-suits at office of Public Prosecutions or at any court of competent jurisdiction against any individual accused of committing a criminal electoral offense in accordance with the provisions of this Law. Any election official accused of negligence or professional misconduct shall also be subject to the provisions of this Article. The aggrieved shall have the right to claim for compensatory damages. Such cases shall be dealt with instantly in courts of competent jurisdiction.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 9, section 1, article 127. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/04/25

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Electoral Management

EM001

Please provide the following contact information for the national electoral management body:

Name of Institution: Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum
Website Address: http://www.scer.org.ye/arabic/shareefa.htm 

Source

No Source

Verified

2009/11/17

(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)

EM002

Responsibility of national EMB

Question:	Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):	a. National level c. Local level
Comments:
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 3, section 1, article 23 (a - h).
Verified:	2004/07/21

EM004

EMB budget determined by

Question:	The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):	c. The legislature
Comments:	The Supreme Committee shall have a special annual budget. The proposed budget shall be presented first to the Cabinet and endorsed by the Parliament. All financial allocations appertaining to the Supreme Committee shall be incorporated as one item into the State budget to be dispensed with under supervision of the said Committee.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 3, section 1, article 30(b, c).
Verified:	2004/07/21

EM005

EMB expenditures controlled by

Question:	The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):	d. A national government department
Comments:	The costs of the election and/or referendum shall be borne by the State. The Government shall put at the disposal of the Supreme Committee all the means and equipment to enable it to fully undertake its duties.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 3, section 1, article 30(a).
Verified:	2004/07/21

EM006

Term of EMB members

Question:	The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:	b. For a specified number of years
Comments:	6 years
Source:	Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified:	2009/11/17

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Voter Education

VE001

Information campaigns performed by

Question:	Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):	a. National Electoral Management Body
Comments:	The Supreme Committee is responsible of the voter education and election campaigns in the country.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 4, article 37. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

VE002

Frequency of voter education programs

Question:	At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:	b. Election time only
Comments:	Voter education programs are done directly after the closing time of the nominations.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 4, article 37, 40 and 41. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

VE003

National civic education

Question:	Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):	b. Yes, conducted by the National Electoral Management Body
Comments:	A special book is distributed by the Supreme Committee for the voters to know their electoral rights, education and campaigns.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 4, article 39 (a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

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Voter Registration

VR001

Voting age

Question:	What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:	c. 18
Comments:
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 1, article 3. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

VR002

Other voting requirements

Question:	Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Citizenship d. Naturalization
Comments:	All citizens who are 18 years old are entitled to vote except naturalized persons who have not completed the cool-off period required by Law following naturalization; the voter should have the Yemeni nationality for 15 years.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 1, article 3. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

VR004

Body responsible for voter registration

Question:	Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:	d. Election Management Body (specify)
Comments:	Each constituency shall have a permanent voters register prepared by the Main Committee and other sub-committees they form the "Voter's Registration Committees". The scope of jurisdiction and offices of these committees shall be determined by the Supreme Committee. The said committees are in charge of tabulating, reviewing and duplicating names and particulars of voters; they shall exercise their duties in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other relevant By-laws and Executive Orders. Sub-committees shall be required to submit to the Main Committee the registers of all eligible voters in each constituency to be incorporated in the permanent voters’ register of the said constituency. The head and members of each committee shall duly sign registers.
Source:	Voters Registration Law 2001, chapter 1, article 3 and chapter 5, articles 44 -49. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

VR008

Compulsory voter registration

Question:	Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	The articles of the 2nd section prove that voter's registry is compulsory and important for different logistics issues.
Source:	The General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 2, articles 4, 5 and 6. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

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Voting Operations

VO003

Electors vote at

Question:	Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):	a. At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections
Comments:	For presidential elections, the whole country is considered one district and the voter can vote at any polling station in the same country.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 1, article 2 (5, 18) and section 2, article 5. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/03/16

VO004

Voting outside the country is permitted for

Question:	Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):	b. Citizens residing outside the country c. Citizens outside the country (including those on vacation)
Comments:	Yemeni citizens living abroad whose names are duly entered in the electoral final register and who are in possession of a Voter Registration Card may be allowed to vote.
Source:	The General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 2, article 6 (a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/03/16

VO005

Locations for voting outside of the country

Question:	If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):	a. Embassies b. Consulates
Comments:	Yemeni citizens living abroad whose names are duly entered in the electoral final register and who are in possession of a Voter Registration Card may be allowed to vote at any Yemeni embassy and/or consulate overseas. The Supreme Committee shall take appropriate measures to ensure implementation of this clause in view of embassy circumstances in each country. Elections may not be administered at a Yemeni embassy and/or consulate unless the quorum of (500) eligible voters with valid Voter Registration Cards is met.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 1, section 2, article 6(a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/03/16

VO011

Voting method

Question:	How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):	a. Manually marking of ballots
Comments:	The head of each election committee shall hand over a ballot slip to each eligible voter who shall express his/her opinion secretly in a specially designated booth placed in each polling station. Each voter shall then cast the ballot slip in the appropriate box in the presence of the head and members of the committee as well as the candidates and/or their representatives. None of the above however shall have the right to access the content of the ballot slip. Blind and physically handicapped voters shall have the right to request the assistance of a confidant from among registered voters in order to exercise in full their right to vote.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 6, article 101 (a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2006/03/16

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Parties and Candidates

PC001

Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	d. No registration required
Comments:	Candidates of political parties have to apply individually.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 5, section 1, article 57 (a). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

PC003

Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	a. Age b. Citizenship i. Minimum level of literacy j. Other
Comments:	Candidates must be 25 years old. S/he should be of "good character and conduct".
Source:	Constitution, chapter 3, section 1, article 64 (2, a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

PC008

Independent candidates

Question:	Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):	e. In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, chapter 3, part 2, section 1, article 108 (e, f) and chapter 3, part 1, article 63. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

PC012

Public funding of parties

Question:	Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):	b. Direct c. Indirect
Comments:	They receive direct funding from funds, advertisements, government, subscriptions, and sometimes indirect funding from investments.
Source:	Law for Political Parties #66 1991, chapter 4, article 17 (1- 5) Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

PC015

Basis of public funding

Question:	What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):	a. Equal funding, regardless of size and previous performance c. Based on current legislative representation
Comments:	25 % are distributed by equal funding, regardless of size and previous performance and 75 % are distributed based on current legislative representation.
Source:	Law for Political Parties #66 1991, chapter 4, article 18 (a, b, c). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

PC017

Private funding of parties

Question:	Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	It is not allowed for any political party to receive private funding from foreigners but they are allowed to receive donations from individual Yemenis.
Source:	Law for Political Parties #66 1991, chapter 4, article 17 (5). Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2005/04/08

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Vote Counting

VC004

Voters are sorted/counted at

Question:	Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:	b. The polling centre
Comments:	Following the signing of the minutes confirming the end of vote casting, ballot boxes shall be transferred to the seat of the First Sub-Committee where vote-counting shall take place in the presence of the Head of the Committee, two committee members and the candidates or their delegates.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 6, article 103. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2009/08/13

VC011

Conditions for recount

Question:	Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):	a. Never recounted
Comments:	Nothing is mentioned in the law about the recounting of ballots.
Source:	General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 7. Updated on March 10, 2005
Verified:	2009/08/13

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Media and Elections

ME037

Parties receive free broadcast time based on

Question:	What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):	a. Equal regardless of size of party and previous performance
Comments:
Source:	Section 4, Article 39 of the Electoral Law of Yemen 2001. http://www.arab-ipu.org/pdb/RelatedArticlesGvnSPName.asp?SPName=CHRN&StructuredIndexCode=&LawBookID=181120033455535&Year1=&Year2=&YearGorH=
Verified:	2006/11/20

ME059

Existence of televised debates

Question:	Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):	a. Yes, in presidential elections b. Yes, in legislative elections
Comments:
Source:	Article 47, Section 4 of the Electoral Law of Yemen 2001. http://www.arab-ipu.org/pdb/RelatedArticlesGvnSPName.asp?SPName=CHRN&StructuredIndexCode=&LawBookID=181120033455535&Year1=&Year2=&YearGorH=
Verified:	2006/11/20

ME062

Blackout period for opinion polls

Question:	What is the blackout period, if any, during which results of pre-election opinion polls may not be released to the public?
Answer:	g. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2006/11/20

ME080

Maximum amount for paid advertising

Question:	Is there a maximum amount that a political party is permitted to spend on paid advertising during a campaign period?
Answer:	c. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2009/08/13

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Direct Democracy

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD004

Optional referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD007

Recalls (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD129

Binding referenda

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	a. Always binding
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD130

National referenda deal with

Question:	Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:	c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA: The Direct Democracy Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2009/08/14

DD131

Direct Democracy at sub-national level

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:	c. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2009/08/14