ACE Electoral News

ACE Electoral News

Philippines: Comelec picks US group to evaluate May auto polls, The Philippine Star (2010).

This article discusses International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to conduct assessment on the May 10 automated elections.

Australians vote 'neither' in weekend polls, TIME (2010)

This article discusses the latest updates from the Australian elections. As vote counting is under way, the two major parties started coalition talks with the smaller party. As a matter of fact, it appears that the results will be very close and no party will a majority in the parliament. In these elections, Australia's first indigenous MP will likely win a seat in the parliament, as well as the youngest MP in the country's history (a 20-year-old from Queensland).

Australian elections in the balance, The Telegraph (2010)

This article reports on the vote counting operations in Australia and discusses the first initial results. Julia Gillard, leader of the Australian Labor Party, apparently failed to gain the expected majority, and now the Green Party will hold the balance of power.

Albanian citizens' group seeks referendum on 2009 ballots (SETimes.com, 2010)

A group of citizens in Tirana submitted a request to the Central Elections Commission (CEC) on Monday (August 9th) to organise a referendum on whether ballots from the June 2009 elections should be recounted.

Albania's Berisha says ruling majority ready to investigate elections (SETimes.com, 2010)

Prime Minister Sali Berisha reiterated on Tuesday (August 10th) that the ruling majority is ready to implement a European Parliament resolution on investigating the contested June 2009 elections.

SMI calls for electoral reform in Albania (SETimes.com, 2010)

The Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) on Tuesday (August 17th) urged all political parties to work for electoral reforms.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: October 3rd, 2010: BiH’s Big Chance to Prove Progress or…? (Turkish Weekly, 2010)

On 5 May 2010 Bosnia’s Central Election Commission (CES) decided to set Sunday 3rd of October as the day for the general elections. As the second general elections that Bosnia is supposed to organize entirely on her own, without international presence, they represent a challenge for Bosnias future rising the question if she is ready to continue the road which will lead to complete integration in EU.

Democrats for Strong Bulgaria to Stand Alone in Next Elections (Novinite.com, 2010)

Former Bulgarian PM Ivan Kostov's rightist Democrats for Strong Bulgaria party will not be a part of the Blue Coalition in Bulgaria's 2011 presidential and local elections, announced Kostov Monday, as reported by BGNES.

Bulgarian Court Rules Election of Gabrovo Mayor Is Legal (Novinite.com, 2010)

The Administrative Court in Bulgaria’s central city of Gabrovo rejected the legal challenge of the conservative party, RZS, of the election of the new city mayor.

EU foreigners with Czech residency may vote in local elections (Prague Daily Monitor, 2010)

Foreigners from other European Union countries who have permanent residency in the Czech Republic will have the right to participate in the local elections due on October 15-16.

Croatia: MP mandate taken from Glavas (EMG, 2010)

The Croatian Parliament's Mandate-Immunity Commission on Aug. 16 unilaterally and without debate confirmed the end of the MP mandate of Branimir Glavas, who was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for war crimes against Serbian civilians in 1991 in Osijek, reports the Hina news agency.

Australia: Labor, Liberals locked at 73 seats each in latest election count, The Herald Sun (2010)

This article reports on the vote counting in Australia. The first results show that both parties won 73 seats in the 150-member parliament, but 76 seats are required to form a government on their own. Electoral officials believe that it will take days (even weeks) to finalize the results. 4500 postal votes are still uncounted, and a recount is currently under way.

Ainars Slesers nominated for prime minister in Latvia (The Baltic Course, 2010)

Ainars Slesers, the political association For A Good Latvia's official candidate for the prime minister, said addressing the association's meeting today that he would protect national interests of Latvia in talks with the International Monetary Fund and international lenders, and see to that more Latvian products and services be exported to not only Lithuania and Estonia but also to Germany, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Wyclef Jean ruled out of Haiti presidential run, CBS News (2010)

This article reports on the electoral commission's final list of candidates for the upcoming presidential elections in Haiti. In the final list, released on Friday, the EC accepted 19 candidates and rejected 15. Wyclef Jean, popular singer raised in the United States, did not qualify and so didn't his uncle, Haitian Ambassador to the US Raymond Joseph.

Republic of Moldova: Filat warns government against attempts to boycott referendum (Kyiv Post, 2010)

Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat has instructed law enforcement agencies to prevent attempts by some government institutions to boycott the organization of a constitutional referendum slated for September 5.

Haiti calm after Jean is rejected, The New York Times (2010)

This article reports on the Haitian people's reaction to the release of the final list of presidential candidates. Popular singer, Wyclef Jean was rejected by the electoral commission, as he did not meet the constitutional requirements. Although a crown of Mr Jean's supporters gathered on the streets right after the EC's decision, no major protest or violence broke out.

Moldovan High Court Backs Government Plan To Expand Voting Abroad (Spero News, 2010)

Moldova's Supreme Court has upheld a government decision last month to open dozens of polling centers at the country's diplomatic missions.

Polish court says election of Bronislaw Komorowski for president is valid (The Western Star, 2010)

Poland's Supreme Court says Bronislaw Komorowski's election to the presidency is valid and his inauguration later this week may go ahead.

Bronislaw Komorowski sworn in as Poland's president (BBC News, 2010)

Bronislaw Komorowski has been sworn in as Poland's new president, a month after his election victory.

Azerbaijani officials get ready for parliamentary elections, Trend.az (2010)

Azerbaijani officials were instructed to get ready for parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 2010. They have been instructed by the president to create equal conditions for all candidates.