SUFFRAGE,

ELECTION, &
POLITICAL
PARTIES
Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not
an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our
democracy are not a President and senators and
congressmen and government officials, but the voters of
this country.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my
country begins.
President Manuel L. Quezon
When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known
immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own
interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of
his country.
Noah Webster
Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they
decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds,
then they will just have to sit on their blisters.

Abraham Lincoln
SUFFRAGE
- May be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not
otherwise disqualified by law, who are least eighteen years
of age and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at
least one year and in the place wherein they propose to
vote for at least six months immediately preceding the
election.
- it is the right and obligation to vote for qualified citizen in
the election of public officers .
VIEWS ON SUFFRAGE:

1. A mere privilege – suffrage is not a natural

right but merely a privilege to be given or
withheld by the law.

2. A political right – suffrage enables a citizen to

participate in the process of government.
THEORIES ON SUFFRAGE
1. The Natural Right Theory – This theory claims that
the right to vote is a natural and inherited right to
every citizen. The state was created by the people
deliberately and hence all the people have a natural
right to take part in the affairs of the government.
2. The Legal Theory – According to this theory,
suffrage is not a natural right, but a political right
granted by the law of the state. Voting is a public
function.
3. The Ethical Theory – The Ethical Theory consider the
right to vate as a mean of self-expression of the individual
in political affairs. This practice is based on the Tribal
Theory.
4. The Tribal Theory – In early Greek and Roman States,
suffrage was extended only to the citizen. Only people
who were accorded citizenship status vote. Nowadays,
citizenship is essential for voting. This practice is based on
the tribal theory.
5. The Feudal Theory – The feudal theory claims that the
right to vote depends on a particular social status. The
simplest form of social status was ownership of land.
Even now in some states, the emphasis is on a property
qualification. This is a legacy of the old theory.
TYPES OF VOTE

1. One man, One vote – Under this provision everyone is

entitled to one and only one vote. The voter can cast his
vote for any candidate.
2. Single Transferable Vote – In this system, which is designed
for the multimember constituency, the vote possesses only
one vote. But he can make his prority like 1,2,3 etc,
according to his requirement. If a candidate fails to secure a
majority, the voters polled for him will be reallocated
according to the second choice, and then the third option,
until a clear majority is obtained by a candidate.
3. Plural Voting – According to this system, several
qualification are prescribed for the right to the vote such as
payment of property tax and education. A person who owns
property or is a taxpayer or is educated is eligible for a vote
because he possesses all of those qualifications. At the same
time, a person who is educated, own the property and is a
taxpayer is entitled to three vote. A voter is entitled to one
vote for every qualification he possesses. In Belgium, this
method was used during early time.
4. Open Ballot – Under this system, the voters raise their
hands to support a candidate. Montesquieu advocated this
system because, seeing intelligent people raise their hands
for right candidates, the uneducated man would also
support him. However, this method is not practical,
considering the vast size of electorates. In the legislative
assemblies and the parliament, when motions and bills are
introduced the speaker puts it for voting.
5. Secret Ballot – In this system the voter casts his vote for
a candidate, without the knowledge of another person. A
citizen can exercise his franchise without fear. In polling
station, an enclosure is provided him to mark his vote and
put the ballot in the ballot box.
Scope of Suffrage
1. Election – means by which people choose their officials
2. Plebiscite – is the vote of the people expressing their
choice for a proposed law submitted to them.
3. Referendum – is the submission of a law passed by the
legislative body to the people for their ratification or
rejection.
4. Initiative – is a method in which people directly propose
and enact laws.
5. Recall – a method in which an elective local official may
be removed from office during his tenure.
AGE QUALIFICATION
This is based on the assumption that under a certain age,
human beings have the maturity, experience education ans
sense of judgement that will enable them to vote with a
reasonable degree of intelligence.

RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION
This is give reasonable period within which a person can
familiarize himself with the needs and conditionsand the
personalities of the nation and locality.
Persons Disqualified to Vote
• Those who have been sentenced to suffer imprisonment
for not less than one yr.
• Those who committed any crime involving disloyalty to
the government such as rebellion and section.
• Those declared as insane or incompetent person.
SECTION 2
• The Congress shall provide a system for securing the
secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system
for absentee voting by qualified Filipino abroad.
• The Congress shall also design procedure for the
physically challenged and the illiterates to vote
without the assistance of other persons.
Secrecy and Sanctity of the Ballot

• This is to insure that the voters shall exercise their

right to freely, uninfluenced by the threats,
intimidation or corrupt motives and to secure a fair
and honest count of the ballots.
Absentee Voting System

• Filipinos who, by force of circumstances, have

temporarily work and reside abroad but maintain their
love and loyalty to their native land are still part of our
Republic; they are also affected by the quality of public
officials and policies of the government.
Party System

• It is referred to as the interactions of parties with each

other. The party system is not equated to parties
because a party system is seen as macro perspective
whereas parties are micro parties just focusing on the
particular party. It could be said that the life of political
system depends upon the kind of party system it has.
CLASSIFICATION OF PARTY SYSTEM

1. The two- party system

 this is the system wherein the major political parties
alternates with each other in the exercise of political
power.

2. The multi-party system

 more than two political parties fight in an election, and
no single party gets the majority control of power.
 parties may become identified as either leftist, rightist
or center parties depending upon the tendency of
their political views.

1. LEFTIST PARTY – is the reform- minded party which

seeks to change the existing conditions of the country.
2. RIGHTIST PARTY – is a conservative group which aims
to maintain the status quo in the country.
3. CENTER PARTY – adopted policies which are a mixture
of both left and right tendencies.
3. The one- party system
 only one political party holds power either because it
towers above the others or because it suppresses all
the groups.

NOTE: the only choices left to voters are:

1. to decide whether or not to vote
2. to vote yes or no for the designated candidate
PARTY FUNCTION:
 Organize the competition
 Unify the electorate
 Inspire and Inform Voters
 Translate Preferences into policy
 Provide Loyal Opposition
 Organize Government
 Help govern
 Act as watchdogs
 Nominate candidates
 Ensure candidate quality
Political party
 An organization that seeks political power by electing
people to office so that its positions and philosophy
become public policy.
 A political organization that aims to attain and
maintain political power within government, usually
by participating in electoral campaigns.
Heywood (2002) in Aceron (2002), for his part provides
the following list of functions that political parties must
perform.

1. REPRESENTATION – the capacity to respond and to

articulate the views of both members and voters.
2. ELITE FORMATION AND RECRUITMENT – the ability to
mold the political elite tasked to govern the body
politic.
3. GOAL FORMULATION – the development of programs
of government with a view of attracting popular support.
4. INTEREST ARTICULATION AND AGGREGATION – the
task of combining and harmonizing different demands
and expressing them into coherent formulation.

5. SOCIALIZATION AND MOBILIZATION – the formation of

a national agenda and the creation of public discourse to
raise political awareness and build the necessary values
and attitude that would constitute a larger political
culture
The Philippine Party System
 The Omnibus Election Code has the following
provisions that define political party functions during
elections:
 parties must be furnished a copy of comelec Directives
and orders in pursuant to the provisions.
 parties must be notified by the comelec in the use of
technological and electronic devices.
 parties must be provided guidelines for campaign
spending.
 parties must limit their spending to 1 .50 pesos per
voter for each candidate.
 the two major parties shall have a representative each
in the board election inspector in every precinct and
board canvassers.
 all parties can have a watcher in every polling place.
 parties may hold party conventions or meetings to
nominate their official candidates 30 days before the
campaign period and 40 days for presidential and vice
presidential candidates.
 parties should be notified by the COMELEC before the
printing of emergency ballots.
 the two major parties may send representatives to
verify the content of ballots boxes and shall be given a
copy of the statement of election result.
 parties may raise a pre-proclamation controversy, any
question pertaining to or affecting the proceeding of
the board of canvassers.