ELECTIONS

AN ELECTIONS:- is a formal and organized decision-making process by which people who are
legally qualified choose their representatives or leaders or make binding decisions concerning
policy through voting.

Elections are an integral part of democracy, particularly presidential elections, parliamentary

elections and civic elections.

Types of elections

1. Primary elections: - is an election conducted to select candidates to run for the public
office.
- It provides the means by which political parties nominate candidates for an upcoming
election.
- Political party members who have interest to run for public office compete in the
primaries and the winners run against nominees of other political parties in an election.
- Primaries may be closed or open. In closed primary elections, only registered members
of the political party are allowed while in open primary elections, all voters are allowed
to take part and may cast votes on a ballot of any party. In Malawi, most political
parties hold closed primary elections in which registered party members only are
allowed to participate.
2. Tripartite elections: - is an election that involves holding three different elections
concurrently/at the same time.
- In Malawi, tripartite elections were held for the first time on 20 th May in 2014 in which
presidential, parliamentary and local government elections were conducted at the same
time.
3. General elections: - is an election that is conducted throughout the country in order to
fill public offices at the same time.
- In presidential systems, the term is used to refer to a process where voters are asked to
choose a president and member of parliament on the same day simultaneously/at once.
- In Malawi it used to be done every five years until when we started to have tripartite
elections.
4. Run-off elections: - is an election that is conducted where no candidate wins a clear
majority in an election.
- They are normally held between the two candidates polling the most votes in an
election competing in the second round to determine the clear winner.
- This is done in countries where the law requires the winner to get absolute majority of
50 + 1 percent of the votes cast.
- It is not done where the law requires the winner only to have relative majority (First
Past the Post-election system).
- Malawi follows the first past the post electoral system in which the presidential
candidate wins an election by polling relative majority of the votes cast.
5. By-elections:- it is held to replace an elected representative, who has retired, died,
resigned, defected/change sides(cross the floor) or has been incapacitated to a point of
being unable to perform his/her duties.
- It is an act of electing a representative to fill a seat, which has become vacant otherwise
than by dissolution/ending of parliament or local councils.
6. Local elections: - are conducted in order to fill public offices at the local level or to
decide local policy questions.
- In Malawi local elections are called the local government elections and involve
members of the public electing councilors to represent their wards in the local councils.
- They are supposed to be held every five years.
7. Referendum: - is an election in which an entire electorate is asked to vote on a
particular proposal.
- It is a process of referring a political or policy question to the entire electorate for a
direct decision by general vote.
- It usually offers electorate two choices, either to accept or reject a proposal. This may
result in the adoption or rejection of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, or
a law.
- In Malawi it was held in 1993 to decide on whether or not the country should adopt
multi-party system of government after many years of one party rule. Many people
voted for the introduction of multi-party elections in 1994.
8. Direct and indirect elections
Direct elections: - is a system of choosing political office holders in which the voters
directly cast ballots for the person or political party that they desire to see elected.
Adv- it guarantees the people the ultimate choice in who is to represent their voice. This
helps to ensure that citizens know exactly who is representing them.
Indirect elections: - is an election in which voters vote for those people tasked to
choose representatives on their behalf (electors).
- Citizens do not vote for their representatives directly, choosing instead to put the
decision in the hands of others.
- It is done in the United States of America in which the president and vice president are
elected by a body of electors called Electoral College. Electors are chosen by popular
vote on a state-by-state basis. The number of electors in each state is equal to the
number of members of congress to which the state is entitled.
 Adv- it is comparatively better persons can be elected because the ultimate and the
direct responsibility of elections lies in few selected individuals who are best fitted to
this task. It is difficult to mislead few wise people who feel full sense of responsibility
and consider themselves accountable to popular will. It is agreed that direct elections
offer opportunity for clever politicians to exploit the masses through making emotional
appeals.
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
IS a method used to count or translate votes received by candidates or political parties
to determine allocation of seats.
- Different electoral systems produce different kind of results, and give voters different
kinds of choices. There are many but most common are:-
1. First-Past-The-Post (FPP) this is also called Plurality of Westminister or Winner-
take-all system.
- It awards a seat to the individual candidate who receives the most votes in an election.
- A candidate needs to get a larger number of votes than all other candidates to be
declared the winner. Main features of the FPP are as follows:-
 Based on the principle that the contestant with the most support ought to be
elected
 Generally require simple and transparent voting and counting processes
 Candidates are elected with plurality(not majority) of votes cast
 Main models include: single member plurality; multi-member plurality(also called
block vote)

It is used in Malawi and other countries like United Kingdom, Canada, India, and the
United States of America.

2. Majority system this is an electoral system that attempts to provide for a greater
degree of representativeness by requiring that candidates achieve a majority of
votes in order to win an election.
- Majority is normally defined as 50%-plus-one-vote.
- If no candidate gets an absolute majority, then a second round of voting (run-off-
elections) is held. Here only the first two candidates who pulled most votes from the
first round are allowed to participate.
- Sometimes preferential voting is used to determine the winner. In preferential voting,
voters are given more options on the ballot paper. Voters rank all candidates by placing
the number 1 for their most preferred candidate and 2 for their second choice and 3 for
their third choice and so on until all candidates are numbered. If no candidate has an
absolute majority, the candidate with the lowest number of first preferences is
eliminated, and their ballot papers are examined for second preferences and are
 assigned to the remaining candidates in the order as marked. The totals are then
checked and this process is repeated until one candidate has an absolute majority.
- The main features of majority system are:-
 Based on principle that an elected representative should be elected only if he or she
has the support of more than half of voters
 May require preferential voting or second round of voting if there are more than
two candidates
 Candidates are elected with a majority(more than 50%) of votes cast
 Main models include: alternative Vote; Two-Round Vote
3. Proportional representation:- in which all political parties gain seats in proportion to
the number of votes cast from them.
- Rather than having single-member constituencies, the whole country or other
designated area constitutes a multi-member constituency.
- Each political party is entitled to nominate as many candidates as there are seats to be
filled in the legislature.
- Following the election, each party is allocated seats in proportion to the votes received

Importance of elections

- It makes a fundamental contribution to democratic governance

- It enables voters to select leaders and to hold them accountable for their performance
in office
- It serves as a forum for discussion of public issues and facilitate the expression of public
opinion
- It provides political education for citizens and ensure the responsiveness of democratic
governments to the will of the people
- It reinforces the stability and legitimacy of the political community by linking citizens to
each other and thereby confirm the viability of the state
- It helps to facilitate social and political integration/combination
- Participation in an election by citizens serves to reinforce their self-esteem and self-
respect
- Voting gives people an opportunity to have their say and through expressing
partisanship, to satisfy their need to feel a sense of belonging

The Election Process in Malawi

Is a combination of all activities involved starting from planning of an election to announcement

of results. The following activities constitute the electoral process in Malawi:
1. Establishment of the Electoral Commission: To ensure efficient, effective and impartial
organization and conduct of elections, it is important to have an independent body that
is free from any other influence to be given such responsibility.
- The Constitution of the Republic of Malawi provides for the establishment of the
Electoral Commission as the body responsible for the conduct of elections in Malawi.
- The Electoral Commission (also known as Malawi Electoral Commission) is headed by
the chairman or chairperson who is supposed to be a judge of the High Court or
Supreme Court.
2. Demarcation of boundaries for constituents and wards: the electoral commission is
mandated to demarcate wards and constituency boundaries based on population
density of an area, ease of communication and geographical features as well as
administrative areas.
- Determination of such boundaries is made on basis of ensuring that constituencies
contain approximately the same numbers of eligible voters.
- The process by which precise geographical boundaries of territorial constituencies are
established is called districting.
3. Registration of voters: it is done in advance of an election.
- To be eligible to register as a voter in an election, one is supposed to be a citizen or
should have been ordinarily the resident of Malawi for seven years and must have
attained the age of eighteen on or before the polling day.
- A birth certificate can be used as proof of identity and age or a village head can be used
to identify an individual.
- A person is allowed to register in their area of residence or where one was born or is
employed or doing business.
- Upon registering, a voter registration certificate is issued.
- The period of registration of voters is not less than 14 days, expiring not less than 21
days before the polling day.
- Registration is done by the Electoral Commission and the process is monitored by
political parties, civil society organizations and international observers.
- It is a right and the civic duty of every eligible citizen to present himself and herself for
registration as a voter.
- At the close of registration every registration officer signs off the voters register and
followed it to the Electoral Commission. The register contains a summary of the total
number of voters registered.
4. Nomination of candidates is a process of selecting a candidate to stand in an election.
- Candidates may run in an election as nominees of political parties or as independent
members.
- The selection of candidates to stand on political party tickets may be done by means of
a political party convention or caucus according to the rules of the party and any
applicable electoral laws.
- In Malawi candidates to run for the position of MPs are nominated through primary
elections that are conducted at the constituency level. Presidential candidates are
nominated using a convention system while those vying for the position of the
councilor are nominated through primary elections that are held in their wards.
- The MEC appoints returning officers to receive nomination papers from the nominated
candidates in the constituents and wards.
- A candidate’s nomination paper is supposed to be signed by at least 10 registered voters
in the constituency or wards
- Nomination of candidates for election to the office of president is supposed to be made
by at least 10 registered voters in each district, each of whom should sign the
nomination form.
- The nomination paper is signed by the candidate, endorsing their acceptance of the
nomination.
- The nominated presidential candidate is required to specify the name of the vice
president appointed by him\her as running mate in the elections.
- A nominee is a candidate of a political party, their nomination paper is countersigned by
another person who is an office bearer of the political party concerned and who has
authority to certify that the candidate is to be sponsored by that political party.
- The chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) receives nomination papers
for the presidential candidates at the allocated time for each candidate.
5. Campaigning is an organized effort which seeks to influence the public to vote for a
particular political party or candidate in an election.
- Campaign messages contain promises (electoral promises) on policy issues which
political parties and candidates to make to the electorate.
- Parties and candidates usually pledge some course of action if voted into office.
- Most candidates rely on rallies and social gatherings in their campaign on radio,
television, newspapers and social media such as Facebook and tweeter. Others may
drop leaflets containing their messages, use banners, conduct whistle stop tours and
door to door canvassing.
- In Malawi campaign is for a period of two months closing forty-eight hours before the
opening of the poll on the first polling day.
- Campaigning is prohibited in places such as military units, police stations, public
institutions and work places during working hours educational institutions during
periods of classes
6. Voters’ roll verification a preliminary/first register is made available for inspection.
- Each registration center displays the register of voters, which shows the names of all
those who registered at the center and those who have lost eligibility due to death or
otherwise
- This process allows all those who registered to check whether their names and other
particulars have been correctly recorded in the register.
- Eligible voters or any citizen of Malawi may object to names of unqualified individuals
who have been included on the register.
- A final register is then produced after verification.
7. Establishment of polling stations – this is done by the Electoral Commission.
- At least one polling station is established for every registration center. Polling stations
are meant to facilitate the process of casting, recording and counting of votes in an
election.
- The electoral commission appoints polling station officers, one of whom is
designated/chosen as presiding officer, to administer the proceedings at each polling
station, especially casting of votes and counting of votes cast.
8. Delivery of voters’ materials – the commission ensures that polling station officers at
every polling station are supplied with all necessary items for the smooth conduct of an
election.
- These include enough lighting equipment to be used when counting votes at night,
ballot papers, ballot boxes, voting booths, indelible ink, and many more other items that
facilitate the conduct of an election.
9. Voting this is casting of ballot papers in the ballot box, by voters to choose their
representatives or leaders.
Ballot paper is designed paper containing names of candidates, party names and
symbols to be marked by a voter in choosing a candidate of their choice.
Ballot box is a container in which ballot papers are inserted/slot in or put in by voters.
A person is allowed to vote only once in a secret ballot.
10. Vote counting it is done after the close of polling and it is done by presiding officers in
the presence of political party monitors.
Presiding officer provides party representatives with the result and posts them at the
polling station.
The results and all documentation are forwarded to the Returning Officer who makes
summations in the presence of the party representatives.
11. Certified and announcing of results is done by Electoral Commission body.
Unofficial results are results announced by the media prior to the announcement by the
Electoral Commission. A candidate can only be declared to have won an election by the
Electoral Commission.
 12. Monitoring is done by political parties or candidates in an election and civil society
organizations at polling station through designated/chosen representatives. Their
responsibility is to observe the voting process from voter registration to the counting of
votes and the announcement of the winners. The aim is to try and ensure the
environment of free, fair and credible elections.
13. International observation this involves the verification of the various stages of electoral
process by foreign observers who are dully recognized for the purpose.
- These help to verify and monitor the impartiality of the electoral body in its functions
and decisions.
- It assists on ensuring that the integrity of the electoral process is respected.
- Their role involves noting and reporting matters of concern to an appropriate authority.
- Observers play a more passive role than that of the monitors.
14. Electoral complaints and petitions pertaining to the conduct of elections are handled by
the MEC. Any party or person who feels there was irregularity is investigated and if
confirmed the commission takes corrective measures. Appeals against the MEC
determination are made to the High Court.

The role of voters in the electoral process

1. Getting registered as a voter:-a voter needs to register for them to be able to vote on
the day of the election.
2. Verifying with the electoral commission that they have been registered: - this involves
going back to the registration center to check the accuracy of their registration. Any
error or omissions noted in their particulars are collected by the commission.
3. Attending civic education meeting and activities:- in order to know what will be
expected of them on the day of election
4. Attending meetings conducted by political parties and candidates:- in order to make
informed choice when voting
5. Going to the polling station on the day of election to cast your vote:- this is the time
that they can peacefully remove or retain their leaders in office based on their
performance
6. Maintaining peace before, during and after elections:- they should refuse being used
by politicians to commit violence and vote for those that promote peace and are
patriotic. This will enable them to vote for their most desired candidate without fear

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)

It derives its mandate from the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act of 1998, the Local
Government Elections Act of 1996 and the Electoral Commission Act of 1998.
The commission comprises of the chairperson and not less than six commissioners. The
chairperson is a judge nominated by the Judicial Service Commission. Other members of the
commission are appointed by the president in consultation with leaders of political parties
represented in parliament.

The commissioners are required to perform their functions independent of the direction or
interference of any public office, any political party, any candidate or any person or
organization.

The commission is assisted in carrying out its day to day activities by a Secretariat that is
headed by the Chief Elections Officer who is the Chief Executive and work under the direction
and supervision of the commission.

Duties and functions of the Electoral Commission

The commission is mandated/assigned to do the following:-

1. Determining the number of constituents and wards for the purposes of elections
2. Supervising the demarcation of wards and constituency boundaries
3. Viewing existing constituency boundaries
4. Organizing and directing the registration of voters
5. Producing, distributing and taking charge of voters’ registers and ballot papers
6. Buying and distributing ballot boxes to all stations
7. Establishing and operating polling stations
8. Taking measures to ensure that necessary security conditions are established during
elections
9. Promoting public awareness of electoral matters through the media and other
appropriate and effective means and to conduct civic and voter education
10. Conducting research into electoral matters and into any matter pertaining to its
functions and to publish the results of such research
11. Ensuring that elections are free, fair and credible/reliable
12. Organizing political debates for candidates in an election
13. Determining electoral petitions and complaints.