ACE Electoral News

ACE Electoral News

Philippines: Comelec Reins in Poll Spending, Manila Bulletin (2010).

This article discusses Comelec’s reminder to candidates to not overspend election campaign spending for the October 25 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Tough coalition talks seen after Kyrgyz vote, Reuters (2010)

The article presents an overview of Kyrgyz parliamentary elections and predicts tough negotiations lying ahead to form a coalition - none of the 5 parties that have won parliamentary seats has received more than 9% of votes.

Analysis - Kyrgyz political battle is only beginning, Reuters (2010)

The article analizes the challenges facing Kyrgyz democracy building efforts following October 10 parliamentary elections. This was the first election held in Kyrgyzstan after its shift to parliamentary system in the result of constitutional referendum of June 2010.

Guinea election campaign starts quietly, Reuters (2010)

This article reports on the beginning of the electoral campaign for the runoff presidential elections in Guinea. The elections were originally scheduled for September 19, but they were postponed to October 10 (and then to October 24) because of some episodes of election-related violence. Front-runner Celou Dalein Diallo received 40% of the votes in the first round, while Alpha Conde only 18%. The poll is the first free elections since 1958, and it will return Guinea to civilian rule.

Kyrgyz losing party supporters block highway, demanding vote recount, Trend.az (2010)

The article writes that supporters of the Butun Kyrgyzstan Party, which failed to pass the 5-percent vote threshold to the Kyrgyz parliamentary (4.84% received), blocked a highway between Bishkek and Osh in the southern Jalal-Abad region and demanded recount of votes.

Doubt about Solomons coalition backing electoral reform, Radio New Zealand International (2010)

This article reports on the electoral reform being discussed in Solomon Islands. The government coalition proposes to review the voter registration and to introduce a law for political parties. The opposition, however, is very doubtful about their real intention: many MPs from this coalition rejected the electoral reform and political parties registration law presented by the former administration.

Georgia: Venice Commission on Revised Draft of Constitution, Civil.ge (2010)

The article writes that Council of Europe’s advisory body for legal affairs, Venice Commission, has called on the Georgian authorities to wait for its final recommendations and to take them “into careful consideration” before finalizing adoption of constitutional amendments.

Antigua: Gov’t still mulling High Court ruling, Antigua Observer (2012)

Government still has not made a decision on whether it will appeal a January 25 High Court ruling that said that the former chairman of the Antigua & Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC), Sir Gerald Watt, was illegally removed from his post one year ago.

Bahamas: Ingraham says Haitian leader mistaken, Nassau Guardian (2012)

Prime Minister of Bahamas Hubert Ingraham responds to comments made by Hatian President Michel Martelly durit a visit to the island chain. Ingraham says Martelly was incorrect in stating that persons born in the Bahamas of Haitian parentage are stateless. Ingraham however agrees with Martelly's comments encouraging former hHitian citizens to form a voting bloc.

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US Virgin Islands: Right-to-vote lawsuit advancing in local court system, Virgin Islands Daily News (2012)

A case introduced in local and federal Virgin Islands courts in both districts suing several agencies for territorial citizens' right to vote and run for federal office advanced in the V.I. Superior Court's St. Thomas-St. John District. The case, which attorney Russell Pate filed last year, argues that federal voting rights have been denied since the United States bought the territories in the early 1900s - when segregation and Jim Crow laws prevailed amid fears of the new U.S. Virgin Islands' black majority.

OSCE/ODIHR opens mission to assess parliamentary elections in Poland, OSCE (2011)

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election assessment mission for the parliamentary elections to be held in Poland on 9 October. The experts will assess and report on the overall framework for the conduct of the elections. They will focus on the legal framework, implementation of the new unified Election Code (including of the gender quota), political party and campaign financing, as well as the regulation of the media.

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South Africa: Party funding to go up to R114.8m, Sowetan Live (2013)

In this article 14 parties represented in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures received an increased annual allocation. In her statement, IEC spokesman Kate Bapela said, this funds will be allocated in proportion to the number of seats each party holds in the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures.

South Africa: ANC delegates call for axing of leaders, Sowetan Live (2013)

In this article, ANC delegated attending the ANC's Vhembe regional general council in Limpopo call for disbandment of regional committees and branches.

Botswana: OP rejects IEC's electoral reforms, Mmegi (2012)

It is reported that government have rejected most of the electoral reform recommendations submitted by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The IEC is reported to have submitted about 20 recommendations to Cabinet late last year after it had stakeholders' workshops.

Niger polls close in election aimed at returning nation to civilian rule, Bloomberg (2011)

This article reports on the elections in Niger. On January 31, citizens cast their ballots to elect a new parliament and restore civilian rule in the country. According to the initial statements of the electoral commission, the voter turnout was between 45% and 51%, and the initial results might be released 2-3 days after the closing of the polls. 10 presidential candidates were competing to replace junta leader Djibo Salou.

Kazakhstan to hold snap election, Al Jazeera (2011)

The article reports that Kazakhstan's president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has been rulling the country already for 20 years, has called for a snap presidential election on April 3, about 20 months before the end of his term. Nazarbayev hopes to get reelected in the April 3 elections, while the opposition will have little time to prepare for the vote.

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Antigua:Gender Minister Laments Women's Absence, Caribena Antigua (2011)

Antigua's Gender Minister comments on the low number of women in representational politics across the Caribbean.