Election Process: Calls, Nominations, Campaigns, and Polls

Posted on Feb 25, 2025 in Social sciences

1. Call

It is an administrative act, which can sometimes be judicial, for determining the date and time of elections. This act is performed by the President of the territorial area concerned.

To be published in the relevant Official Journal. It can be brought before the courts if:

  • The government does not do it within the prescribed period, to prevent the hijacking of democracy.
  • There has been an irregularity in an area or district, to repeat the elections.

2. Nominations

They are people who, meeting the requirements to stand as a candidate, are supported by a political party or a coalition (or clusters).

Only political parties registered with the Registrar of Political Parties are entitled to nominate candidates.

Requirements:

  • Each candidate shall submit the name clearly.
  • The letters.
  • The symbol.
  • Whether they are presented alone or in coalition with another party.
  • The names of the lists cannot be hidden.

Acceptance of candidates for nominations.

  • Every list has to have three alternates.
  • No candidate may submit more than one constituency.
  • Once approved by the Boards, they must be published by the twenty-second day of the announcement of the election. Published in the Official Gazette.

3. Campaign

Mackenzie said it was to inform voters of the political agenda. Art. 50 LOE defines the electoral campaign as “all legal activities carried out by the candidates in order to attract votes.”

Features:

  1. Free communication of ideas.
  2. Equal opportunities.
  3. Institutional incentive to encourage participation (avoid abstention).
  4. Political neutrality of public authorities and the radio and TV of the State and Autonomous Communities.
  5. Prohibition of propaganda during the electoral campaign by the Armed Forces, law enforcement, judges, magistrates, and prosecutors.

Start and finish:

It can start at any time; formally, it begins 38 calendar days after the proclamation. It lasts a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 21 days.

Ending at 0 hours on the day immediately preceding the vote.

Election Propaganda and Campaign Events:

Propaganda is a series of acts that tend to form an idea based on the candidate of a political party or group.

The councils must reserve space for party propaganda. Must book places for the celebration of the campaign events. 7 days after the proclamation of the municipal elections, they announce the reserved sites. The first to ask gets it.

Usefulness of Public Social Media:

Free space should be reserved in these media. It does not depend on who asked first. Priority is given to those with more votes in previous elections, and progressively.

Time distribution is equal, based on the majority of votes:

  • 10 Min: Parties without representation or new parties.
  • 15 Min: Less than 5% of the vote.
  • 30 Min: Between 5% and 20% of the vote.
  • 45 Min: Over 20% of the vote.

Election Polls

An election poll is political market research, with a sociological function to determine the preferences of candidates.

Surveys should not be created to sway the political thought of the people towards a particular political option.

The criteria of the surveys are regulated:

  1. Every poll has responsibility.
  2. All data must be set.
  3. The characteristics of the sample must be stated.
  4. The full text of the questions answered and unanswered must be collected.

The Central Electoral Board (JEC) is responsible for verifying the accuracy of the polls. Polls can be published up to 5 days before the election.