Elections and Assistance Act

Category:Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Glen-Rhodes


Description: RECOGNIZING that free and fair elections are vital to the preservation and success of democratic institutions,

ACKNOWLEDGING that nations transitioning from a non-democratic system of government to a democratic system of government face special challenges in both forming an electoral system and ensuring the legitimacy of elections themselves,

RESOLVED that all nations who choose to have elections should comply with certain common expectations of what constitutes a free and fair election,

The World Assembly hereby enacts the following:

Article I - Definitions

Sec. 1. "Public office" shall herein mean any office of a government that is subject to an election, whether that election be direct or indirect, popular or otherwise.

Sec. 2. A "plebiscite vote" shall herein mean any vote put forth for the public to decide on an issue where the public’s vote is binding.

Article II - Principles of Free and Fair Elections

Sec. 1. Where all direct elections are held for public office, a secret ballot shall be used, whereby no person’s vote shall be involuntarily disclosed to the public.

Sec. 2. In all elections for public office, the aggregate results of the elections shall be made publicly available and open to scrutiny.

Sec. 3. Nations are encouraged to establish an independent body or bodies to monitor and officiate all elections for public office.

Sec. 4. Nations are encouraged to use a vote-counting methodology that does not provide a disproportionate advantage to any candidate or groups of candidates.

Article III – Assistance

Sec. 1. To assist nations transitioning from a non-democratic to a democratic form of government, hereinafter "transitioning nations," the Organization for Electoral Assistance (OEA) is established.

Sec. 2. The OEA shall assist creating electoral systems in transitioning nations when called upon by those nations for that purpose.

Sec. 3. As an advisory body, the OEA shall not have any binding authority on creating electoral systems, but shall strive to promote democratic principles, including universal suffrage and voting accessibility.

Sec. 4. The OEA shall monitor elections and plebiscite votes in transitioning nations, when asked to do so and only in the capacity agreed upon by the transitioning nations in question, excepting the mandatory provisions in Sections 5, 6, and 7 of this Article.

Sec. 5. The OEA must have access to voting locations without undue interference, to monitor possible fraud, voter intimidation, ballot tempering, and other unfair and fraudulent activities. The OEA shall make publicly available any all reports of the previous to the press and relevant institutions.

Sec. 6. The OEA must be allowed to either observe and monitor the tallying of votes or be a party therein.

Sec. 7. If the OEA serves in an observational capacity, OEA vote counts shall be nonbinding; however they should be conferred reasonable consideration in electoral disputes. If the OEA serves as a party in vote tallying, OEA vote counts shall be binding.

Sec. 8. Member nations are encouraged to assist in monitoring non-member transitioning nations’ elections and plebiscite votes, per consensual terms and conditions.

Article IV – Clarifications

Sec. 1. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require elections in nations where no elections are currently held.

Sec. 2. However, nothing in this Act shall be construed to deny the peoples' right to self-determination.