High voter turnout  noted in Indo polls

High voter turnout noted in Indo polls

One of the biggest electoral exercises in the world took place in Indonesia on April 9 when 186 million registered voters headed to the polls to elect their representatives in the legislature.  The turnout represents 75% of the total registered voters in the vast and sprawling archipelago, a significant jump from the 70% recorded in ...

Electoral reforms mark Afghanistan’s bid for democracy

Electoral reforms mark Afghanistan’s bid for democracy

As Afghanistan continues its transition into democracy, sweeping electoral reforms are set to be tested in the Presidential and Provincial Council elections to be held on April 5. For the first time in the country’s tumultuous history, voters will finally be able to select their leaders in elections conducted under a legislatively-established framework rather than a ...

Voting technology and the Indian challenge

Voting technology and the Indian challenge

The most populated democracy in the world is about to embark on the largest election ever held. India´s election of the 16th Lok Sabha – the lower house of the Parliament – will be an electoral marathon running for five weeks (from 7 April until 12 May), and serving 814 million voters. Organizing an election for a ...

Indonesia parliament bets square off in april

Indonesia parliament bets square off in april

Some 187 million registered voters in Indonesia are expected to go to the polls in April to elect their legislative representatives. At stake are more than 20,000 seats in People’s Representative Council (560), Regional Representative Council (132), Province (2,137) and  Regency (17,560). A total of 46 parties have registered with the KPU, the country’s election commission. However, ...

Slovakia prepares for a second round

Slovakia prepares for a second round

Slovakia is gearing up for a presidential run-off election to elect a successor to President Ivan Gasparovic who is currently concluding his second term in office. Prime Minister Robert Fico will be facing challenger Andrej Kiska on March 29, only two weeks after both politicians obtained the most votes out of the 15 contending candidates (28% ...

Maldivians elect representatives in March

Maldivians elect representatives in March

A total of eighty-five seats in the Maldivian parliament are set to be decided when voters head to the polling precincts on March 22. This is only the second such elections in the Maldives after 2009 when the country held its first-ever multi-party polls to elect representatives to its unicameral legislature known as the People’s Majilis ...

Biometric voter authentication a hot topic in Pakistan

Biometric voter authentication a hot topic in Pakistan

A recent forum on biometric voter authentication drew a sizeable crowd of election stakeholders in Pakistan. The event, organized by London-based elections company Smartmatic,  gathered Members of  the Parliament,  representatives from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP),  political parties,  international granting agencies, non-government organizations, and the media. British Deputy High Commissioner, John Tucknott greeted the ECP’s progress ...