Info
Boundary Delimitation
BD001
Delimitation of constituencies
Question: Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Electoral Act, art. 13:2
Verified: 2011/06/21
BD003
Criteria for drawing boundaries
Question: On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):
a . "Equality" of population b . Respecting natural barriers f . Communities of interest/cultural concerns
Comments: Every constituency shall consist of 25,000 dwellers or 12,000 eligible voters;
Every constituency designated for the reserved female Assembly seats shall consist of 50,000 dwellers or 24,000 eligible voters;
When designating constituencies, the Commission shall take into consideration the balance of ethnic participation and representation;
When designate constituencies outside Eritrea to ensure the effective and fair participation of the Eritrean Diaspora
Source: Election Act, art. 14
Verified: 2011/06/21
BD005
Body responsible for drawing boundaries
Question: The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):
d . Boundary Commission
Comments:
Source: Election Act, art. 14
Verified: 2011/06/21
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
a . Head of State is the Head of Government d . Indirectly elected by legislature
Comments: The President of Eritrea is the Head of the State and the Government of Eritrea and the Commander-in-Chief of the Eritrean Defence Forces.
The President shall be elected from amongst the members of the National Assembly by an absolute majority vote of its members. A candidate for the office of the President must be nominated by at least 20 percent vote of all the members of the National Assembly.
Source: Constitution, art. 39 & 41
Verified: 2011/06/21
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
c . Indirectly elected by legislature/chosen by parliament
Comments: The Head of State is also the Head of Government, elected by the National Assembly.
Source: Constitution, art. 39 & 41
Verified: 2011/06/21
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 39
Verified: 2011/06/21
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
a . One chamber
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 31
Verified: 2011/06/21
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
a . Plurality (FPTP)
Comments: Even though the Electoral Law establishes an electoral system, the elections scheduled for December 2001 have been postponed indefinitely. There has never been an election since the young nation got its independence in 1993
Source: Electoral Act, art. 11
CIA World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/er.html
Verified: 2011/06/21
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 d . Regulations or administrative rules
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art, 57
Verified: 2011/06/21
LF003
Electoral Law covers
Question: The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):
a . National elections b . Regional elections c . Local elections d . Referendums
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 30
Election Act, art. 2:8
Verified: 2011/06/21
LF004
Compulsory/voluntary voting
Question: Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):
a . Voting is voluntary
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 30:1
Verified: 2011/06/21
LF007
Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)
Question: What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):
b . EMB
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 57:1
Verified: 2011/06/21
Electoral Management
EM002
Responsibility of national EMB
Question: Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):
a . National level b . Regional level c . Local level
Comments: Election means electing a person for the National Assembly or the regional assembly;
Source: Constitution, art. 58
Electoral Act, art. 5
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM004
EMB budget determined by
Question: The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature g . Other
Comments: The Commission shall have a budget approved by the National Assembly. The budget shall be disbursed according to the financial regulations of the Government of Eritrea.
Source: Elections Act, art. 66
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM005
EMB expenditures controlled by
Question: The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature g . Other
Comments: controller of auditor general and parliamentary accounts committees
Source: Elections Act, art. 66
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM006
Term of EMB members
Question: The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:
c . For an unspecified period
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 58
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM012
Electoral Management model
Question: What is the Electoral Management model?
Answer:
b . Independent
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 58
Electoral Act, art. 3
Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM013
Number of EMB members
Question: The EMB is composed of:
Answer:
a . 1 - 10 members (specify)
Comments: 5 members
Source: Electoral Act, art. 4
Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM014
Membership based on
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected on the basis of their:
Answer:
a . Partisanship
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2011/06/21
EM015
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected by:
Answer(s):
a . Head of State e . Legislature
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 58
Electoral Act, art. 4
Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2011/06/21
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:
Source: Elections Act, art. 5:n
Verified: 2011/06/21
VE002
Frequency of voter education programs
Question: At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:
b . Election time only
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 5:e
Verified: 2011/06/21
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:
Source: Elections Act, art. 5:e
Verified: 2011/06/21
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
c . 18
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 30:1
Verified: 2011/06/21
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 e . Other
Comments: resident of the constituency, an employee in the constituency area, or assigned in the constituency area to perform his duties;
not serving a sentence by a court of law;
capable by law to perform his civil and political rights
Source: Elections Act, art. 18
Verified: 2011/06/21
VR004
Authority 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:
Source: Constitution, art. 58
Elections Act, art. 5:
Verified: 2011/06/21
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):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement)
Comments: ...signatures of 3000 constituents
Source: Political Parties Proclamation, art. 9 & 10
Verified: 2011/06/22
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 d . Residence f . Registration j . Other
Comments: the person has not worked actively with the enemy to perpetrate crimes against the Eritrean people during the independence struggle, or has not collaborated with foreign forces against the sovereignty and unity of Eritrea after independence.
Source: Elections Act, art. 34
Verified: 2011/06/22
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 35
Verified: 2011/06/22
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct
Comments: The Commission shall cover all expenses related to campaigning for the elections. No private funds shall be allowed for
campaigning.
Source: Elections Act, art. 44
Verified: 2011/06/22
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
f . No information available
Comments: There is no provision in law
Source:
Verified: 2011/06/22
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
c . No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2011/06/22
Vote Counting
VC004
Votes are sorted/counted at
Question: Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:
a . The polling stations
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 56:1
Verified: 2011/06/22
VC011
When are ballots recounted?
Question: Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):
b . Always recounted c . Automatically (triggered) recounted under certain conditions
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 56:4
Verified: 2011/06/22
Media and Elections
ME037
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
Question: What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):
g . Other (specify)
Comments: All candidates shall have the right to equally and free-of-charge access and use government owned mass media
Source: Elections Act, art, 43
Verified: 2011/06/22
ME059
Television debates
Question: Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):
d . No information available
Comments:
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm
Verified: 2011/06/22
ME062
Blackout period for release of opinion poll results.
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: Based on directives that the Commission issues, all contestant candidates shall cease election campaign activities three
days before Election Day
Source: Elections Act, Art 45
Verified: 2011/06/22
ME080
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: 2011/06/22
Direct Democracy
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:
Source: Elections Act, art. 48:4
Verified: 2011/06/22
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) d . Members of the armed forces f . Diplomatic staff
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 52
Verified: 2011/06/22
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:
Source: Elections Act, art. 17:1, 21.2 & 55
Verified: 2011/06/22
VO011
Voting method
Question: How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):
a . Manually marking of ballots
Comments:
Source: Elections Act, art. 50
Verified: 2011/06/22
The data on this page is continuously updated.
Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.
Forgot your password?
