What are the main principles of suffrage

Today, everyone does just what they say about democracy. This applies even to those who do not really know what it is.

For many people, democracy is primarily associated with freedom: freedom of speech, freedom of thought and, of course, freedom of choice. Under the democratic regime, the people participate in the formation of the supreme, and at the same time local authorities, everyone has the right and the opportunity to speak out, and also to act exactly as he sees fit. In this article, the concept and principles of the electoral law will be disclosed , on which all elections that are held in our time should be built.

What is electoral law?

This is nothing but a subjective right of citizens to be participants of constitutional and legal relations that arise from elections. In simpler language, suffrage is the ability to cast a vote for a particular candidate (active suffrage), as well as the right to nominate oneself as a candidate in elections (this is already passive suffrage).

Elections are among the main instruments of democracy. Today, elections to central as well as local representative bodies of administration are held with the participation of ordinary citizens almost all over the world. Of course, the elections were not always conducted as they are now: there were times when poor people, women, representatives of small nations could not vote. The elections themselves changed, and with them the principles of the suffrage changed. It is worth noting that most of the principles described here appeared in the last century, since it was then that the democratization of society began.

Today, citizens of our country, if they wish, can:

• Participate in the nomination of candidates;
• Take part in election campaigning ;
• To be election observers;
• Carry out any other election-related activities, if it does not contradict the Constitution, as well as the laws of our country.

It has already been said above that the principles of the suffrage have been constantly changing and improving. Today, everything is arranged in such a way that everyone's voice is taken into account in elections, regardless of what gender it is, what its leading activity is, and also in the material situation in which it is located.

Basic principles of suffrage

The principle of universality. The principles of suffrage are needed in order to give the right to speak out to everyone. In democracies it is simply unacceptable for a minority to make decisions for the majority. Those whom the people approve of in elections are his representatives, act on his behalf, which means that all must participate in elections without exception. Of course, minors, mentally ill and some other categories of citizens can not take part in elections, however this does not violate the principle of the universality of elections.

In the most important principles of electoral law is the principle of equality. By this principle, it means that each voter is the owner of only one vote. And the voices of all citizens are equal to each other, no matter what social position they have, what nationality they belong to, and so on.

The principle of direct elections. This principle is based on the fact that everyone votes by himself and without any intermediaries.

The principle of secret voting. In democratic countries, voting is done secretly. The voter does not have to answer to anyone for whom he gave his vote exactly as no one has the right to try to find out from him this information or by some threats to influence his choice.

Of course, there are other principles of suffrage, but those listed above are the most basic of them.