Suffrage

The question of who may vote is a central issue in elections. The electorate does not generally include the entire population; for example, many countries prohibit those judged mentally incompetent from voting, and all jurisdictions require a minimum age for voting.

Historically, other groups of people have also been excluded from voting. For instance, the democracy of ancient Athens did not allow women, foreigners, or slaves to vote, and the original United States Constitution left the topic of suffrage to the states; usually only white male property owners were able to vote. Much of the history of elections involves the effort to promote suffrage for excluded groups. The women's suffrage movement gave women in many countries the right to vote, and securing the right to vote freely was a major goal of the American civil rights movement. Extending voting rights to excluded groups (such as convicted felons, members of certain minorities, and the economically disadvantaged) continues to be a goal of voting rights advocates.

Suffrage is typically only for citizens of the country. Further limits may be imposed: for example, in Kuwait, only people who have been citizens since 1920 or their descendants are allowed to vote, a condition that the majority of residents do not fulfill. However, in the European Union, one can vote in municipal elections if one lives in the municipality and is an EU citizen; the nationality of the country of residence is not required.

WATCHING

1. Watch the video “Electing a US President”. Try to explain the election process. These are the words and expressions to help you:

primary elections, campaign, summer conventions, ballot, candidate, elector, the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, inauguration, to influence the number of electors, the election day, the Electoral College.

2. Read the following sentences. They tell about the election process, but are given in the wrong order. Put numbers 1-5 on the lines to show the correct order.

___ a) US adult citizens vote for a President in a national election.

___ b) At first there are two or more candidates for the Republican Party and two or more candidates for the Democratic Party.

___ c) After the party conventions, the candidates continue to campaign.

___ d) The inauguration of the President is on January 20^th.

___ e) In the summer, each party has a convention to chose one candidate.

3. Have a discussion about elections. Talk about the process in the US and in Belarus. Here are some questions to help you:

1) How many political parties are there in Belarus?

2) Who can vote in the Republic of Belarus?

3) How do people vote?

4) How often are there elections in the USA and Belarus?

5) What does the law say about the citizens’ rights to vote?

6) Is the election process in Belarus the same as in the US?

7) Does the number of electors in the USA equal the number of senators and a number of representatives in a state?

ROLE-PLAY

Election campaigns

When elections are called, politicians and their supporters attempt to influence policy by competing directly for the votes of constituents in what are called campaigns. Supporters for a campaign can be either formally organized or loosely affiliated, and frequently utilize campaign advertising. It is common for political scientists to attempt to predict elections via Political Forecasting methods.

Task: A sufficient role in an electoral campaign running is devoted to the proclaimed candidate’s program. Imagine that you are nominated for the position of the head of the students’ union. Make up 7-10 major statements of your program. Present it to the group-mates so that they could vote for the best one.

WRITING

1. Referring to the previous information and the following extract from ‘The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, describe the voting system of our country in a written form.

Article 64. The elections of deputies and other persons elected to state office by the people shall be universal: citizens of the Republic of Belarus who have reached the age of 18 shall be eligible to vote.

Citizens who are deemed incapable by a court of law or held in places of confinement in accordance with the verdict of a court shall not take part in elections. Persons in respect of whom preventive punishment-detention is selected under the procedure specified in the law on criminal proceedings shall not take part in voting. Any direct or indirect restrictions on citizens' voting rights in other instances shall be impermissible and punishable by law.

The age qualification of deputies and other persons elected to state positions shall be determined by corresponding laws, unless otherwise provided by the Constitution.

Article 65. Elections shall be free. A voter shall decide personally whether to take part in elections and for whom to vote. The preparation and conduct of elections shall be open and in public.

Article 66. Elections shall be held according to the principle of equal suffrage. Voters shall have equal number of votes.

Candidates standing for public office shall take part in elections on an equal basis.

Article 67. Elections of deputies shall be direct. Deputies shall be elected by citizens directly.

Article 68. Voting at elections shall be secret. The monitoring of voters' preferences while voting is in progress shall be prohibited.

Article 69. Public associations, work collectives and citizens shall have the right to nominate candidates for deputy in accordance with the law.

Article 70. Expenditure incurred in the preparation and conduct of elections shall be covered by the State within the limits of the funds assigned for that purpose. In instances determined by the law, the expenditure for the preparation and conduct of elections may be carried out at the expense of public associations, enterprises, offices, organizations and citizens.

Article 71. Elections shall be conducted by electoral commissions, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution.

The procedure governing the conduct of elections shall be determined by the laws of the Republic of Belarus.

No elections shall be held during a state of emergency or martial law.

Article 72. The recall of deputies shall be exercised to the order and instances as determined by the law.

The voting for the recall of a deputy shall be exercised to the order determined for the election of the deputy, and on the initiative of no less than 20 percent of the citizens eligible to vote and resident in the corresponding area.

The reason and order for the recall of a member of the Council of the Republic shall be determined by the law.