Universal Adult Voting Rights
As discussed elsewhere (see Democratic/Representational Considerations), the norms of democratic governance require that eligibility
for participation in elections be extended to all adult citizens. This means that, to the extent
possible, eligibility requirements should be sufficiently broad that all or virtually all adult residents
who have attained citizenship are able to register to vote, and that no groups of citizens are
systematically precluded from voting. The factors that require more detailed specification under
this statement of eligibility are the age, citizenship, and residency requirements. It is on these
requirements that variation emerges among democracies.
For example, all representative democracies limit voting to the adult population. The precise
definition of adult varies from one country to another, but the range of differences generally is
quite small, from about eighteen years of age to twenty-one in most contexts. The citizenship
requirement normally limits voting to adults who can demonstrate that they are citizens of the
country, although it should be noted that this requirement is changing quite significantly.
In Scandinavia, for example, foreign nationals are being extended voting rights for local elections,
provided they fulfill certain minimal residency requirements. The residency requirements
themselves are highly variable. In some countries, one must reside in a constituency for a certain
period of time in order to vote, whereas in others, nationals living abroad for certain periods of
time are provided the opportunity to register and vote.
The specific regulations governing eligibility to vote are normally set out in legislation, or in the
constitution, rather than as part of the administrative apparatus of elections.
