Electoral Almanac 2014 - Instituto Nacional Electoral

ELECTORAL ALMANAC 2014
2014
ELECTORAL
ALMANAC
2014 SECOND QUARTER (MAY-AUGUST)
I. INTRODUCTION
Since 2004, the National Electoral Institute (INE), formerly Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), along with the Electoral Tribunal of the
Federation´s Judiciary Power (TEPJF), and the United Nations Development Program in Mexico (UNDP), joined efforts to develop
an international cooperation program oriented towards professionalizing electoral civil servants from justice and management
electoral bodies, regarding the challenges they faced. In such context, the previously mentioned institutions arranged experience
exchanging meetings through the Electoral Management Workshops, which have being inserted since 2006 under a new horizontal
international cooperation structure, denominated International Program for Electoral Research and Training (PICIE), addressed to
high decision making authorities from electoral institutions.
Due to the applications increase and the mutual beneficial effect of strengthening the electoral democratic institutions, on
September of 2010, the Federal Electoral Institute approved unanimously the creation of the International Centre of Electoral
Research and Training (CICIE, by its acronym in Spanish), mandated to broaden international collaboration mechanisms intended
not only to accomplish the main objective of institutional strengthening, but also to open it up to other stakeholders involved in
democratic practices, such as: political parties; non-governmental organizations of the civil society; academics, amongst others,
recognizing the importance of their role within the counties´ democratic and electoral life. Since then theses workshops have being
carried out, registering in 2014 a total of 57 workshops for electoral officials and key stakeholders from 36 different countries..
The International Centre of Electoral Research and Training (CICIE) serves as a new order instrument in the horizontal
international cooperation, which provides a series of training tools; technical assistance; and research in electoral matters, such as
electoral management workshops; professionalization courses; and technical assistance groups.
CICIE´s general objective is to contribute to the strengthening of democratic and electoral institutions for the betterment of their
managing and jurisdictional roles, which may have a direct impact on better planning, organizing, and developing electoral
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processes, in order to accomplish those fundamental objectives from the Electoral Management Bodies and within the role they
hold as part of a democratic governability:
 Reach the general objectives comprised of organizing free, transparent and fair elections according to national and
international standards,
 Contribute to legal, legitimate, and peaceful transfer of power.
In this framework, the 2014 Electoral Almanac is the result of a variety of gathered information from international bodies and
institutions, partners with the National Electoral Institute (INE), and which CICIE has systematized to obtain a yearly information
source on electoral news form countries and territories that had recently celebrated electoral process and reforms during the year.
The information sources come from the Electoral World Calendar elaborated by IFES, of the International News Information System
(SINE), which contains a compilation of electoral related news made by Panama´s Electoral Tribunal, including general information
from Ace Project´s Electronic Encyclopedia, where the following international organizations participate: IDEA International, EISA,
IFES, and the Electoral Administration Bodies from Mexico (INE), and Peru´s Office for National Electoral Processes (ONPE).
The objective lies on maintaining an annual registry portraying the main developments on democratic and electoral stances in every
country. This is an easy tool to be used for research, as well as diagnostic support for international cooperation, in which given
context, it contributes into bringing a more precise perspective on the main challenges affronted by various reforms.
The 2014 Electoral Almanac is organized in three sections:
i)
The 2014 World Electoral Calendar is presented in this Almanac, organized by the dates in which elections took place,
specifying the type of election. It´s important to emphasize that each month is assigned with a colored code, as to identify it
within
the
map
and
the
news
section.
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ELECTORAL ALMANAC 2014
MAIN FIELDS
Political-Electoral System
SPECIFIC TOPICS
Political and electoral context
Political Reform
Political Crisis
Regime’s Transition
Electoral Management Body Attributions
Legal framework
Oversight of the auditing regime and financial resources
Political Parties
Internal Elections
Candidates Registration
Media Access
Electoral Campaigns
Elections
Voter training
Vote Promotion
Voter Registration
Electoral material and documentation
Voting Identity Card
Polling stations
Elections, Local Elections, Referendum, Popular Consultation
Elections Results
Use of technology in the electoral process
Voting from abroad
Vote facilities for people with disabilities
Opinion Polls
Gender Quotas
Citizen Participation
Electoral Participation
Social inclusion of vulnerable groups
Electoral Observation
Go back to index
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ELECTORAL ALMANAC 2014
2014 electoral processes world map
May
June
July
August
2014 ELECTORAL ALMANAC
COUNTRY
Antigua and Barbuda
TOPIC
INFORMATION1
Electoral Campaigns
June: The main opposition Antigua and Barbuda Labor Party (ABLP) launched its manifesto for the
June 12 general elections, "The People's Rescue Plan - A Strategic Vision to Rebuild and Empower”.
Seeking a third consecutive term in office, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer's United Progressive
Party vows no new or increased taxes during the next five years, also offering a tax cut of up to 20
per cent for low- and middle-income earners.
Opinion polls
June: Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), said the main opposition Antigua
Barbuda Labor Party is on track to win the June 12 general elections by using a survey a survey
among voters in the three ABLP parliamentary constituencies where the party won by the smallest
margins in the 2009 general elections.
May: Buenos Aires governor, Daniel Scioli, met with the Córdoba governor José Manuel de la Sota,
who subscribes himself as a dissident Peronist. The meeting was held in the midst of presidential
elections for 2015, considered as a relevant gathering in regards to the surge of possible alliances to
overthrow President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Argentina
Political and electoral
context
June: The president of the political party Frente Renovador, Sergio Massa, has announced his
foreign affairs team in a strategy to present himself as a presidential candidate. It will be integrated by
the former foreign affairs vice chancellors, Andrés Cisneros and Jorge Faurie.
June: Cordoba province´s governor, José Manuel de la Sota, announced his intentions to run for
president. In such context, he is the first contestant opposed to the other two peronist candidates.
Daniel Scioli and Sergio Massa.
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COUNTRY
TOPIC
INFORMATION1
August: Estela de Carlotto’s decades-long quest for her missing grandson may end up helping
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s administration, which has given Grandmothers of Plaza
de Mayo a platform to voice their demands for justice. Such actions were positively received by
Argentinians. Nevertheless, the ruling party has restrained from making comments in regards this
situation.
August: The Governor of Río Negro province Alberto Weretilneck, joined one of the leading
opposition groups whose head is a strong presidential hopeful for October 2015, Amid a crisis within
local ruling Victory Front (FPV). The governor has two political active fronts, one with FPV's senator
Miguel Angel Pichetto, who has launched his own candidacy for governor for 2015, and another one
on a national level against the federal government after he opposed the hydrocarbons law
encouraged by president Cristina Fernández.
Australia
Technology use in the
electoral process
Political parties: internal
elections
Bolivia
Elections
Opinion polls
July: almost 1,400 votes went missing due to miscounts in a Senator´s election in Western Australia,
causing the resignation of the Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn. After such events, the ACT
Electoral Commission suggested the use of electronic vote counting to improve the accuracy of the
results. The commission then proceeded to scan all paper-based votes to help speed up the counting
process and ensure accuracy after elections, with an intelligent character recognition system used to
check that the preferences and the results are compared to the manual count.
August: Elections for the Liberal Party´s presidents of the three electorate branches and the
women's council were held, resulting as follows: Robert Gunning held his position as the northern
branch president; Angela McGuinness retained her position as president of the southern branch;
Duncan McDonald won the presidency of the central branch; and Kate Davis held her position as
president of the Women's Council.
May: Bolivia's Electoral Tribunal set presidential and congressional polls for October 12, with a
potential presidential runoff, to be held on December 7 if none candidate obtains a majority of votes.
The new term is set to begin on January 22, 2015 and run for five years.
May: The latest polls put Morales in the lead to win the presidential vote, with opposition divided
among several possible candidates. The leftist leader, who is in the midst of his second term,
currently has 38.3 per cent of the vote, well ahead of his nearest rival, businessman Samuel Doria
Medina, and polling at 14 per cent.
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INFORMATION1
Voting abroad
June: Electoral registry abroad closed 10 days ahead registration in the country, with a total of 127
thousand Bolivians being registered around 33 countries. Bolivians abroad may only vote for the
country´s president and vicepresident, not for senators or congressmen.
Social inclusion
June: Indigenous people and farmers, members of the political party Movimiento Al Socialismo
(MAS), gathered to discuss the recommendation they will bring forward to Congress in order to
extend the amount of farmer and indigenous representatives in it.
Candidates
Brazil
Opinion polls
July: Jorge Quiroga, who served as Bolivia's head of state in 2001-2002 after the death in office of
Hugo Banzer, announced his candidacy for the Oct. 12 presidential election. Quiroga was presented
by Christian Democratic Party (PDC) chairman Jorge Suarez Vargas at a rally in La Paz.
July: Bolivia's left-leaning president, Evo Morales, officially declared his candidacy for a third
consecutive term. Bolivia's constitution says the president can only be re-elected for a single
consecutive term, but the nation's highest court ruled earlier this year that Mr. Morales's first term
didn't count as it took place before new constitution took effect in 2009.
May: Rousseff is ahead in opinion polls, with around 37 percent of Brazilians saying they will vote for
her. Her closest rival is Social Democrat Aécio Neves, who would take around 20 percent of the vote.
June: According to the poll two thirds of Brazilians interviewed consider the economy is on the wrong
course, while 32% say it's in good shape, and this comes in a crucial year, not only because of the
Cup and Brazil in the center of world news, but also because of presidential elections next October.
Six out of ten Brazilians consider the organization of the World Cup 'bad' for the country because the
funds disbursed have limited investments in education, health care and other public services. Only
34% believe the Cup will help generate more jobs and prop the economy.
July: A poll last month showed Rousseff with a four percentage-point advantage over Neves among
voters in the metro area for this year’s election, on October 5. Nationwide, recent polls have given
Rousseff a lead of about 15 to 18 percentage points.
July: The Datafolha poll found that Rousseff would win 44 percent of the vote in a second round
against Neves, who would garner 40 percent. The gap of four percentage points compares with a
seven percentage point difference in a Datafolha poll conducted July 1-2 and falls within the margin
of error of plus or minus two percentage points.
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TOPIC
INFORMATION1
July: A Quinnipiac Poll shows the race between GOP Gov. Rick Scott and Democrat Charlie Crist
becomes tight, with 39% of voters backing Crist, 37% for Scott and 9% for Libertarian Party
candidate Adrian Wyllie.
June: The presidential candidates have been pledging several stances to add up to their political
campaigns. President Dilma Rousseff boosted cash transfers to the poor and pledged to continue
raising the minimum wage; Senator Aecio Neves urged Congress to extend minimum wage
increases by at least the rate of inflation through to 2019.
July: Official presidential race begun with the different candidates declarations on their expectations
about the race. President Dilma Rousseff, who is running for reelection, launched her campaign
online. Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), accused the
government of using the 2014 World Cup hosted by Brazil for "political gain." Eduardo Campos of the
Brazilian Socialist Party, launched his campaign with a visit to a favela.
Electoral campaigns
July: The electoral campaign between Aecio Neves and President Dilma Rousseff in Sao Paulo is
expected to be determining in vote and financing gathering for both candidates. Sao Paulo used to be
a reliable bastion of Neves’ centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). The party took the city
and surrounding state, which has the same name, by five million votes when it last won a presidential
election in 1998.
July: Workers' Party President Rui Falcão declared in favor of Dilma Rousseff´s campaign and the
“benefits” of keeping inflation instead of tackling it through policies that may reduce employment and
affect mortgages, as candidate Eduardo Campos intends to do.
August: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff revealed that the slogan for her re-election campaign is
"truth will beat pessimism", due to an allusion to the president's now frequent claims that pessimism
is being instilled into the minds of the public by her adversaries who said that the country is much
worse than it actually is.
Political and electoral
context
June: With a total tax burden already at 36% of GDP, a widening budget deficit, and more than 80%
of central government outlays earmarked by law, Brazil has little room for fiscal maneuvers. GDP
growth in the first quarter slowed by half to 0.2% from the previous three months, as investments fell
by the most in two years.
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INFORMATION1
August: candidate Eduardo Campos, who was running third in polls ahead of Brazil's October's
presidential election crashed in the city of Santos, throwing the country's election into disarray and
knocking local financial markets lower.
August: Before Edoardo Campo´s death, he and his running mate, Marina Silva, had close to 10
percent of voting intentions. That figure could make or break Rousseff’s chances of re-election and
could determine the fate of the ruling Workers’ Party (PT), which has managed to hold on to the
presidency for three consecutive terms and is now battling for a fourth.
Bulgaria
Elections
May: Bulgaria's left-leaning government has survived its fourth no-confidence vote called for by the
opposition over its energy policies.
Political crisis
June: The leader of the senior partner in the ruling coalition, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).
Asked for the resignation of the government of Plamen Oresharski, after the voting of the fifth noconfidence vote.
Voting from abroad
May: the Ontario Superior Court of Justice invalidated certain provisions of the Canada Elections Act
that prevented non-resident electors from voting by special ballot in federal electoral events if the
electors had resided abroad for five consecutive years or more. Now, Canadian citizens aged 18 or
older who reside abroad may apply to be added to the International Register of Electors and to vote
by mail-in special ballot in federal general elections, by-elections and referendums, provided they
have at some point resided in Canada.
Characteristics of the
Electoral Management
Body
August: A campaign worker for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper became the sole person to
be convicted in an election fraud, making the Prime Minister´s 2011 victory suspicious. He faces up
to five years in prison and, or a $5,000 fine at a sentencing hearing on October 17. Elections Canada
investigated the rogue calls that allegedly targeted 247 of 308 electoral districts, aided by the federal
police, but closed all but one probe involving the worker in Guelph, west of Toronto.
Vote facilities for people
with disabilities
August: As part of Elections Canada's commitment to accessibility for all Canadian voters, Elections
Canada announced that in the next federal election all polling sites in Canada will feature either
power-assisted door openers or dedicated staff to assist with opening doors, as a result of a
confidential mediated settlement that was made possible with the participation of the Canadian
Human Rights Commission and ARCH Disability Law Centre.
Canada
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TOPIC
Vote promotion
Chile
Electoral reform
Political and electoral
context
Colombia
Opinion Polls
INFORMATION1
August: Ontario's largest student organization launched Generation Vote, a province-wide campaign
to promote youth and student participation in the municipal elections taking place in October. The
campaign also aims to raise awareness about municipal issues that effect youth and students.
July: The Constitutional Commission of the Chamber of Deputies approved an initiative to modify
the electoral system from binomial to a moderate proportional one. This new parliamentary system
includes a Gender Quota Law, which establishes that political parties cannot have 60% of samegender candidates.
May: The chief strategist, Juan José Rendón, for Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia's presidential
election campaign has resigned amid allegations he took US$12m from some of Colombia's top drug
lords in exchange for helping to negotiate their surrender in exchange for concessions such as
protection from extradition to the U.S. Rendon's resignation could add complications for the
incumbent Santos as he struggles to fend off rivals heading into the 25 May election.
May: Cifras & Conceptos survey registered polls for the presidential election to be held on May 25th,
in which president Juan Manuel Santos obtained a 27% of preference against Oscar Ivan Zuloaga
who reached a 19% preference. Another survey conducted by Centro Nacional de Consultoria
showed results in which Santos polled a 23% while Zuloaga ended with a 22%.
June: In the Invamer-Gallup poll, Zuluaga was supported by 48.5 percent of 1,200 people in 55 cities
polled and Santos by about 48 percent. Some 4 percent say they don't plan to vote for either.
Electoral campaigns
May: The campaign team for president Santos strike accusations against candidate Iván Zuloaga,
who allegedly spied on both the president and members of the FARC negotiating team in Havana.
This affects Zuloaga´s campaign deeply, after admitting that supposed hacker and spy, Andrés
Sepúlveda, was part of his campaign team.
Voter registry
June: Bogota is a crucial electoral region for its potential registered electorate of 5,204,000,
according to data from the electoral register. Abstentions in the capital during the first round of voting
on May 25 totaled 50 percent, one of the highest ever for the Bogota area.
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TOPIC
Electoral results
INFORMATION1
June: During the first round of the presidential elections, Santos, who finished the first round with
444,051,000 votes, was narrowly beaten by Zuluaga, with 542,432,000, and hopes to gain 800,000
additional votes by the runoff.
June: former Finance Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga said the FARC has unrealistic expectations of
being welcomed back into civilian life without punishment and he'll insist the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia, or FARC, declare a unilateral cease-fire among other conditions to continue
talks started more than 18 months ago in Cuba.
Political and electoral
contest
June: The Colombian national ombudsman's office issued an alert about the risk to public security
and the possibility of voter coercion in 136 of the country's 1,102 municipalities for the presidential
elections, coming from leftist rebels and paramilitary drug gangs.
June: FARC declared a ceasefire from June 9 to 30 for the runoff of the presidential elections. The
three-week ceasefire was announced in an open letter posted on the group's website and written to
right-wing presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga who has been skeptical about peace talks with
the group begun by his rival and incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos.
July: Former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) returned to Colombian politics as a
senator, making it the first time first time a former head of state returns to parliament.
Vote counting
July: Of the total 2,012 polling stations in the Colombian capital of Bogotá, 253 were not counted
(12.57%), despite the order which states that all ballots should be counted, according to MIRA, an
evangelical Christian political party in Colombia that regularly denounces corruption within the
political system and which gained 2.28% of the total vote.
Regime´s transition
August: Mariela Castro, the daughter of President Raul Castro and niece of Fidel Castro, gave the
thumbs-down to a workers' rights bill that she felt didn't go far enough to prevent discrimination
against people with HIV or with unconventional gender identities. In her crusade for gay rights, Castro
has often taken stands that challenge the social status quo, while firmly supporting the Communist
government.
Cuba
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COUNTRY
TOPIC
Denmark
Global policy
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
European Union
INFORMATION1
May: The Bilderberg Group brings together between 120 and 150 senior politicians and
businesspeople from Europe and North America in a forum for informal discussions about
megatrends and major issues facing the world with leaders of industry, finance, academia and the
media.
Opinion polls
July: During 2015 the Dominican Republic will celebrate presidential elections and major opinion
polls have started drafting vote intention for the possible candidates of three political parties: Partidos
de la Liberación Dominicana, Revolucionario Dominicano and the Reformista Social Cristiano.
According to the Gallup poll, most of the consulted citizens considered that the next president would
be Leonel Fernández, with a 47.3% of preference.
Use of technology
August: Dominican Republic´s Central Electoral Commission and South Korea´s National Electoral
Commission held a meeting in which experiences of electoral administration and the use of new
electoral technologies were exchanged, in the frame of their leadership within the World Organization
of Electoral Bodies.
Regime´s transition
June: Salvador Sanchez Ceren was sworn into presidential office on June 1st, replacing Mauricio
Funes. He is the first guerilla commander to become president after a 12 year conflict. For the
vicepresidency, another guerilla member, Oscar Ortiz, was chosen.
Political parties
July: The two major political parties from El Salvador, ARENA and the FMLN, ruled out the possibility
for non-militants of those political parties to contend for governor or deputy positions. For that, those
interested in running must be officially affiliated to the parties.
Electoral participation
May: Days before the EU´s parliamentary election, this year´s electoral turnout would appear to be
lower than the past seven parliamentary elections. A drop over 40% is expected. This reflects the
people´s attachment to national politics and representatives, rather than those comprising the UE,
given the close ties to those in the EU´s institutions.
Political and electoral
context
May: The following elections for the European Parliament have a strong sense of detachment within
Europeans given raised questions on the democratic legitimacy on the European project due to a
prolonged economic crisis and perceptions of a remote, unaccountable European Union elite,
combined with years of painful economic austerity, are expected to boost support for far-right, antiEU political parties in many member states such as France, the Netherlands and Hungary.
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INFORMATION1
Aquí entraría la noticia de Jean Mari Le Pen
Electoral Campaigns
May: four candidates representing the top party groups are contesting for the European Parliament
presidency: Germany's Martin Schulz, from the centre-left; Belgium´s Guy Verhofstadt from the
liberal faction; centre-right, Jean-Claude Juncker from Luxembourg; and Ska Keller from Germany,
representing the Greens and the only woman to running for the presidency.
Internal elections
June: Conservative federalist, Jean-Claude Juncker, was nominated for the European Commission´s
presidency by the heads of State and Government of the European Union. He gathered 26 votes out
of 28 corresponding countries, defeating the UK´s Primer Minister, David Cameron, who was solely
supported by Hungary´s President, Viktor Orban.
Political parties: Electoral
Campaigns
France
Political Reform
Political and electoral
context
May: The far-right National Front Party started gaining momentum in the campaigns for the European
Parliament elections, where its leader, Marie Le Pen, condemned the euro and the European Union,
but urged followers to vote in European parliamentary elections. She also intends to capitalize on
recent victories in municipal elections that gave her party control of 11 towns.
May: Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader who produced a shocking win in the
European election, came Wednesday to the home of the European Union, in search for
enough like-minded fellow members of the European Parliament to form a parliamentary
group, a step that would guarantee more speaking time and financial support.
May: Hollande reacted to defeat in March's town hall elections by bringing in a new prime minister
and promising to speed up reform of France's complex local government, faced with the rise of the
far-right he has this week merely reiterated his call for Europe to re-focus on economic growth and
investment.
May: The anti-immigrant, Eurosceptic party notched up the first nationwide poll victory in its fourdecade history on Sunday in a European Parliament election marked by voter disenchantment with
Europe and the entire French political establishment. Could its leader Marine Le Pen be their next
president.
May: Only 3 percent of French people want President Francois Hollande to be the Socialist Party's
candidate in the 2017 presidential elections, according to an opinion poll published by Le Figaro
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INFORMATION1
Magazine.
Georgia
Political and electoral
context
Germany
Political and electoral
context
Greece
Candidates Registration
Political Parties
May: The opposition formed a Provisional National Council in the Russian-backed province after
protesters angered by alleged corruption and misrule broke into the presidential administration
building in the main city, Sukhumi.
May: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered a clear endorsement of Luxembourg's former
premier Jean-Claude Juncker as the next European Commission leader.
May: The Supreme Tribunal of Greece passed a resolution detailing the 46 political formations to
contest in the May 25th European elections. In total, 39 political parties, 7 coalitions and one
independent candidate will rally to gather the voters´ support for the European Parliament, making it
a record within the ballot paper, being a total maximum of 23 political parties registered in the last
elections.
May: Fotis Kouvelis, Leftist party leader on Greece announced his resignation.
Oversight of the auditing
regime and financial
resources
May: The Ministry of the Interior established a registration fee of 3000 euros for all those candidates
who wished to attend the polls, with May 1st being the limit date to enroll.
Political and electoral
context
May: The Greek Supreme Court today issued a resolution detailing the name of the 46 political
parties that will attend the next European elections.
Political and electoral
context
May: Haitian President Michel Martelly appointed a new council to oversee legislative and local
elections that are two years overdue. The head of the council is Frizto Canton, a high-profile attorney
who is defending former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier against human rights abuse and
embezzlement charges. The council will include three representatives each from the executive,
legislative and judicial branches. The Chamber of Deputies recently approved the agreement, which
proposes late October for the balloting. The Senate has yet to vote.
Haiti
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INFORMATION1
June: Haiti´s government announced the date for legislative by-elections, set for October the 26th.
These elections have been delayed for the past 3 years since 2011, a year later to Haiti´s earthquake
in 2010.
July: Leading opposition factions are alleging that Haiti's presidentially appointed electoral council is
stacking the deck in favor of President Michel Martelly, who has scheduled long-delayed legislative
and municipal elections for October. Parties complaining of exclusion and unfair advantages include
the Unity party of former President Rene Preval and the Lavalas Family founded by former President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide. They are among the major opposition groups that boycotted election talks
earlier in the year and have refused to register with the Provisional Electoral Council, which they
contend is rigged.
Political crisis
June: Haitians took to the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince Thursday to demand that President
Michel Martelly step down and new elections be held. Legislative elections for around 100 members
of the Chamber of Deputies, 20 senators and municipal leaders are set to take place on October 26
after multiple delays.
Candidates registration
July: The registration of candidates to the House of Representatives and Senate was originally
scheduled for July 4 to 17 was postponed to July 12. The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP),
announced this was due to a strike of Magistrates in function.
Electoral observation
July: The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Haiti and other
members of the international community in Haiti represented in the 'Core Group' (the Ambassadors of
Brazil, Spain, United States of America, France, and the European Union, the Chargé d' Affaires a.i.
of Canada, and the Special Representative of the Organization of American States). The Core Group
reiterated its financial commitment and its technical, logistic and security support of the electoral
process in order to strengthen good governance, the country’s democratic institutions and its overall
stabilization."
Electoral reform
August: the Assembly scheduled to take place in the Senate to study the possible ratification of the
amendment of the electoral law has once again failed due to lack of quorum, in which only 13 out of
20 senators were present at roll call. Faced with this revolt of 6 opposition senators, Senator proMartelly, Edwin Zenny considering the possibility of using drastic measures and to make
dysfunctional the Senate to put an end to this crisis.
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Honduras
TOPIC
Voter participation
June: Honduras´ High Supreme Court announced the new elections date for the San Luis,
Comayagua municipality. The action was intended to prevent lesser voter participation given that the
previous date of the municipality´s election fell on the same day as Honduras´ world cup match. The
date is set to fall on June 12th, a day before Honduras´ match.
Political reform
August: The Commission for Electoral Affairs of the National Congress began collecting proposals to
elaborate a new Law for Electoral and Political Bodies. This work has the support of the Board of
Directors from the legislative body, as well as for the support of the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP). Such law will consider proposals such as a second round voting in case a political
party does not reach 50% of electoral support.
Political reform
August: China's top legislature will discuss whether to revise election methods for Hong Kong's chief
executive and legislature. The current chief executive was elected by an election committee in 2012.
Hong Kong plans to introduce universal suffrage in the election in 2017. They will deliberate a report
from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on whether
to revise election methods for Hong Kong SAR's chief executive in 2017 and its Legislative Council in
2016.
Hong Kong
Hungary
INFORMATION1
Political and electoral
context
May: Hungarian President Janos Ader asked Prime Minister Viktor Orban to form a new government
after Orban´s ruling party, Fidesz, won two-thirds of seats in a parliamentary election last month.
Parliament will hold its inaugural session and Orban is expected to announce his new government by
the end of May.
May: Leader of Hungary's Socialist Party resigns after crushing defeat in EU parliament elections.
May: The President of Hungary, János Áder, commissioned today officially the formation of
Government to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Italy
European Commission
May: Navracsics, currently also justice minister, told weekly Heti Valasz he could take the post of
foreign minister in Orban's new government for a brief period before going to Brussels.
Political Reform
May: Italy´s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, postponed the submission of the senate reform draft bill in
parliament, which was part of his campaign before being elected PM. There are currently two main
reforms to be yet approved and passed: new electoral law was passed by Italy's lower house in
March, but awaits final approval by senators; the senate reform, which would demote the upper
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INFORMATION1
house into a non-elected assembly, is yet to be presented as a final draft.
Electoral Campaigns
May: The electoral campaign for the European Parliament was an excuse for the halt on passing the
Senate reform, proposed by current PM, Matteo Renzi. Now, the political balance is now based on
two conditions: the unity and strength of Renzi's PD party, and the deal on reforms reached by Renzi
and center-right opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi. Both PD and Berlusconi's Forza Italia parties
need to get good results and not be overcome by the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement (M5S).
Otherwise, reforms would be at risk.
Political crisis
August: A July report from the Ivorian justice ministry says 659 pro-opposition civilians and military
forces were arrested for their presumed roles in the 2011 postelection violence. Under pressure from
the international community, human rights organizations and local civil societies working to reconcile
the socially divided nation, the Ivorian government has increased moves to appease the opposition
bloc, made up of the FPI and a half a dozen smaller organizations.
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Legal capacity
July: The restriction for an acting mayor to abandon office in a six month period after assuming the
position was removed by the, House of Representatives, allowing the current acting mayor, Leon
Thomas, to remain in office until next elections.
May: The majority of Kosovo´s main parties decided to dissolve the Parliament after not being able to
establish a bill on the creation of an army. The opposition minority party, integrated by ethnic
Serbians voted against passing the bill, therefore, according to Kosovo´s laws, two thirds of the
lawmakers have to agree upon a bill. Parliamentarians opted to hold early election in June instead of
holding them until November.
Kosovo
Political and electoral
context
May: The parliament´s dissolution was voted on May 7th by a 90-4 vote. According to constitutional
laws, elections must be held 45 days after the occurrence and established by the president.
May: President Atifete Jahjaga scheduled parliamentary elections for June 8. Early vote was called
after deadlock in Parliament on a number of issues, including creation of Kosovo's armed forces.
That was opposed by the Serb deputies, who sought more guarantees for their minority.
June: Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said it had reached a coalition deal with the Alliance for
the Future of Kosovo (AAK) of former guerrilla commander Ramush Haradinaj and a small party led
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by defectors from Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in order to undercut Prime Minister
Hashim Thaci's bid for a third term after his party won an election but was left seeking partners.
Malaysia
Political and electoral
context
Macedonia
Political Parties
Mauritania
Elections
August: Mahathir Mohamad withdrew his support from Prime Minister, Najib Razak, citing worsening
race relations and a tougher business environment since the premier took power. Stating that Najib
abolished internal security laws, which allowed detention without trial. Minimum wage increases
imposed by Najib’s government have not taken into account costs that are making Malaysian
businesses and goods uncompetitive versus imports.
May: Lawmakers from Macedonia's center-left opposition have resigned their seats in parliament
after claiming the general elections last month were unfair.
June: Presidential elections began for police and army forces. 21 thousand armed forces and
security forces cast their ballot to vote between incumbent president Mohamed uld Abdel Aziz´s
reelection and other candidates representing various opposition political parties.
June: The Mexican state of Veracruz held by elections in three of its three major towns: Chumatlán,
Las Choapas and Tepetzintla, because of the annulment of their elections during 2013.
Mexico
Local elections
July: The states of Coahuila, Nayarit, and two municipalities from the state of Puebla will hold the last
elections under the law, previous to the recently established April´s Electoral Reform. More than
three million registered voters will go to the polls to choose new Congress in Nayarit and Coahuila,
with special emphasis on the fact that four independent candidates will contend in the electoral race.
Voter registration
June: Veracruz´s local electoral body presented the amount of voters registered in each town: for
Tepetzintla, a total of 10,102 citizens were registered; Chumatla registered a total of 1,875; and
Choapas 50,678. Meanwhile, 32 electoral observers were registered: 6 for Tepetzintla; 9 for
Chumatlán; 10 in Las Choapas.
Legal capacity
June: A debate to manage internal elections within political parties by Mexico´s National Electoral
Institute (INE) happened within the institution´s electoral councilors along with INE´s Commission for
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Political Parties´ Prerogatives. The establishment of these rules will allow to attend requests to
organize internal processes among the country´s political forces. The first political party to make such
request was the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD).
Internal elections
June: Result of the request made by the PRD to hold the party´s internal elections and for them to
have the oversight from INE, the party postponed, its elections by INE´s recommendation, in order to
conclude the corresponding appointments from the party´s representatives within INE.
Gender equity and social
inclusion
June: Even though there has not been consensus in the matter of approving the political and
electoral reform in the state of Nuevo Leon, the leader of political party, Acción Nacional, has
declared that next elections will have embedded rules for allowing independent candidacies and to
establish gender equity in the electoral process.
July: Local deputy for the LX legislature, Juan Pablo Escobar Martínez proposed to bring into
alignment the Article 76 of San Luis Potosi´s Constitution with the Federal Constitution in order to
allow previous governors to hold charge for a second time through popular election even if they have
previously held the position by other legal means other than by popular election.
Political Reform
Political parties
Lebanon
July: The Congress of the state of Baja California will discuss the process of bringing into alignment
the local Constitution with the Federal one in terms related to the electoral process, electoral
sanctions, and how to deal with electoral crimes during campaign periods.
August: Mexico’s conservative National Action Party (PAN), REPLACED Luis Alberto Villarreal as
party leader in the lower house of congress after he and other party leaders were seen on a video
dancing with escorts.
Referendum
August: President Enrique Peña Nieto denied being concerned about a possible referendum on
Mexico's energy overhaul, saying the Supreme Court must decide whether to allow opponents to put
the constitutional changes to a popular vote. The Mexican left, which is bidding to put the
constitutional changes to a referendum during the July 2015 legislative elections, has been gathering
signatures for the past several months.
Political and electoral
context
August: President of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, considered to not include into discussion
the possibility of extending the current legislature, which has been dysfunctional due to its inability to
elect a new Chief of State. On August 20th, the country will meet the deadline to vote for an electoral
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law facing the next electoral process on November 20th.
Libya
Electoral and political
context
August: Libya’s newly elected parliament held its first official session in the eastern city of Tobruk.
The 200-member parliament was elected at the end of June and will take over from the previous
assembly which was dominated by Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood.
Opinion polls
May: Opinion polls show ruling Democratic Change (CD) party candidate Jose Domingo Arias,
whose running mate is Martinelli's wife, in a tie with moderate leftist ex-Panama City mayor Juan
Carlos Navarro of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). In third place is the Panamenista
Party's Juan Carlos Varela, the vice-president. Varela's support helped Martinelli to get elected in
2009.
Electoral campaign
May: All three candidates pledge to continue large infrastructure projects, such as expanding
Panama City's new metro, and social programs like Martinelli's $120 a month payment to
Panamanians older than 70 and outside the social security system.
Panama
Elections
May: The election is set to be the closest held in the isthmus nation since a U.S. military invasion in
1989 toppled military strongman Manuel Noriega. The winner, elected by a simple majority, will have
to manage strong but slowing growth, adhere to a strict new fiscal responsibility law, and oversee the
multi-billion dollar expansion of the Panama Canal, which briefly stalled earlier this year in a dispute
with the building consortium.
May: Panamanians voted on May 4th in the closest presidential election. Incumbent president
Ricardo Martinelli is barred from a consecutive reelection according to the constitution, giving way to
his favorite, José Domingo Arias, and his wife, to run for the center-right ticket. The electoral race
was a tight between the three main candidates, Arias, Juan Carlos Navarro (Democratic
Revolutionary Party) and Juan Carlos Varela.
Voter participation
May: Opposition leader, Juan Carlos Varela won the presidential elections, garnering a total of 39%
against Jose Domingo Arias´ 32% and Navarro´s 28%. A registered voter turnout of 75% was
registered during the election day.
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Electoral Management
Body: Dispute Resolution
July: The Electoral Tribunal rejected an appeal which intended to prevent 22 elected CD deputies
from taking office due to alleged irregularities in the May 4 election. This decision was based on the
premise stated by the TE in which the appeal was filed out of the corresponding time.
Political parties
July: Militants from the Radical Authentic Liberal Youth party (JLRA in Spanish) will be holding
meetings in the districts to pledge support to those candidates willing to work for the community´s
and the party´s well interest.
Political crisis
August: Lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), third largest party, and with 34 out of 342
seats in the National Assembly, will resign from Parliament to try to force Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif to step down, accusing the prime minister of rigging elections last year.
Paraguay
Pakistan
Peru
Portugal
INFORMATION1
Internal elections
June: The appointment of the political group to represent Mayor Susana Villarán of the Lima
municipality has not being decided for the next electoral process. Such group is to be integrated by
political parties from different fronts, in which parties like Avanza País, Diálogo Vecinal, and
Confianza País will form the coalition.
Electoral Management
Body
June: The National Elections Jury (JNE) approved of standardizing a series of requisites for local and
municipal authorities for those wanting to present reelection, or present resignation for every political
authority, due to the abnormalities in the processes for different public offices.
Political parties
June: The president from the political party Fuerza Popular, Keiko Fujimori, announced that the
political party will present candidates for the 19 regions of the country for the next elections in
October. She also presented the future candidates for the districts of Lima.
Political and electoral
context
July: President Ollanta Humala replaced his prime minister, Rene Cornejo, for improprieties, after
being in office for just five months, a week previous of the president´s cabinet reshuffle. He appointed
Ana Jara for the position and appointed Fredy Otarola, president of Congress and secretary general
of the ruling party, as the new Labor minister.
Political and electoral
May: A strong Portuguese labor union, the Confederación General de Trabajadores Portugueses
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context
(CGTP), called the voters to cast a protesting ballot against the Portuguese leaders taking part the
European Union Community elections to be held next May 25th, seeking for support against the
budgetary adjustments, valid until 2018, made by the Government. This adjustments included a tax
increase (23 to 23.25%), and an increase to the contributions made to Social Security (11 to 11.2%).
May: The main union of Portugal "luso" urged the protest vote against the Portuguese government
and those who are at the forefront of the European Union in EU elections.
Scotland
May: The campaign to maintain the 307-year-old union with the U.K. is ahead in opinion polls, though
Elections, Local Elections, its lead over the nationalists has narrowed to as little as three percentage points. a survey by ICM
Research Ltd. found voters of pensionable age are the most keen to stick with the U.K., the youngest
Referendum, Popular
group wasn’t the most eager to embrace independence. The referendum on independence is run
Consultation
along similar lines to a local election, so it’s based on residency rather than just citizenship.
Voter registration
May: More than 80 percent of 16-17-year-olds in Scotland have registered to cast a ballot in the
September 18 independence referendum after the voting age was lowered to broaden the electorate.
As of March 10, there were 98,068 people in that age group registered for the plebiscite.
May: Two opinion polls and Reuters interviews with 25 Scottish teenagers in 10 different locations.
Opinion polls
Slovenia
Political-electoral Context
May: Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek resigned after losing the leadership of her party, when
Bratusek's Positive Slovenia party elected her rival, Ljubljana Mayor, Zoran Jankovic, as its new
president. President Borut Pahor and all the parliamentary parties have said they favour an election,
even though the rules allow them to nominate candidates for prime minister from the existing
legislature within 30 days without resorting to fresh polls. The president has to call an election 40 to
60 days after the parliament is dissolved, so it remains unclear whether the ballot could be held as
early as June or July.
May: Alenka Bratušek, Prime Minister of Slovenia, has submitted his resignation Monday after just
over a year in power, due to the crisis opened in the center-left coalition, with the aim of concluding
as soon as possible early elections.
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Campaign funding
Spain
Opinion Polls
Political Parties
Campaign expenses limits
Referendum
INFORMATION1
May: The spending limit for the electoral campaigns for to the Spanish political parties will be
estimated in accordance to the amount of electors registered (36.546.270), in the whole State, that
are rightfully accredited to cast ballot, multiplied by 0.19 euros giving a grand total of 6,94 million euro
for each party´s candidacy. The State will grant 16 cents for each voter as long as the candidacy
obtains seats and a 15% vote backup (mostly for majoritarian parties). The rest will receive 11 cents
per voter with a minimum backup of 6%.
May: The Sociological Research Center barometer conducted a poll with a population of 2500
individuals capable to cast ballot. This reflected a percentage drop in the preferences for the PP
ruling party, turning from 32,1% to 31,9%. Also, the PSOE dropped from 26.6% to 26,2% within a
trimester. Such poll also showed that the Izquierda Unida (IU) party and the UPyD lost strength,
where IU passed from 11,3% points to 10,9%, and UPyD went from 9,2% to 8,9%.
May: A few weeks shy of his 79th birthday, former anti-corruption public prosecutor Carlos Jiménez
Villarejo is one of five members of new Spanish political force Podemos.
May: Given that the European elections are the only state constituency and that elections are
considered 36,546,270 voters, the spending cap is approximately 6.94 € million.
June: Spain´s Spanish Izquierda Unida (IU) has called on other similar political forces, social and
union movements, to hold demonstrations in an attempt to demand a referendum to decide between
a monarchy and republic. Monarchist parties PP and PSOE have already asserted that they will vote
in favor of the monarchy, and Union Progreso & Democracia, Convergencia & Union and Grupo
Mixto parties will do the same; an estimated 90 percent of the current legislature.
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Gender equity
Trinidad y Tobago
Political parties
Political reform
Tunisia
Electoral participation
Ukraine
Political Crisis
INFORMATION1
June: Independent Liberal Party, Jack Warner, announced he was not seeking reelection for the
party´s presidency, instead he proposed that one of his deputy political leaders, former Senate vice
president Lyndira Oudit be elected as the party's first female leader.
August: The Congress of the People (COP) will be looking for a new candidate to represent the
people of D’Abadie/O’Meara in the 2015 general election. MP Anil Roberts tendered his resignation
as Sport Minister to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The COP had taken a position to
suspend Sport Minister Anil Roberts from the party following a video which went viral showing a man
who looks like the minister rolling what appeared to be a marijuana joint.
August: The Trinidad and Tobago parliament passed legislation allowing for a two term limit for a
prime minister and a run-off in a general election in the event that a successful candidate fails to
secure 50 per cent of the vote case. The Bill seeks to set Term Limits for Prime Ministers, introduce
Right of Recall of Members of Parliament and making every person's vote count by making politicians
earn the support of the majority of the people.
August: This year's parliamentary polls is scheduled for October 26 while the presidential election is
slated for November 23, a second round of presidential voting has been set for December 28. Voter
registration brought out around 50 percent of the country's eight million eligible voters. The remaining
four million who didn't register three years ago, just over 760,000 registered by the time the first
registration period concluded on July 29.
May: Consequence of the rebellions taking part in eastern Ukraine, interim President, Alexander
Turchinov declared that the presidential elections set to be held on May 25th would not be able to
take place due to the poor security structure to carry them in a pacific manner by protecting the
population from the rebels.
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INFORMATION1
May: While Russia states that Ukraine will not be capable to celebrate elections on May 25th, acting
President, Oleksandr Turchynov, along with the western allies, say that the elections must be
celebrated in an honest and transparent manner, regardless of Russian interference in eastern
Ukraine. If the elections do not take place in such conditions, western allies have already
communicated to Russia the possibility of a new round of sanctions.
May: Ukraine´s Prime Minister, Arseni Yatseniuk, suggested the creation of a non-binding popular
consultation for the pro-Russian population east of Ukraine, instead of creating a referendum. This
was made through a legislation passed to celebrate such consultation next may 25th. It is intended to
know the Ukrainian´s opinion on matters such as decentralization or territorial integrity.
May: The insurgent pro-Russians demanded Ukraine´s federalization, and they intend to celebrate on
th
Elections, Local Elections, May 11 a referendum within the eastern region of Donetsk, which is the epicenter against Kiev.
Referendum, Popular
May: Lawmakers refused to approve a referendum on territorial integrity proposed by the eastern
Consultation
regions, being a prorrusian led initiative. Such referendum is intended to be made during presidential
election on May 25th.
May: The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arseni Yatseniuk, today proposed a non-binding consultation, is
not referendum as demand rebels in the East of the country, to determine the new State model, this
consultation proposes to know the opinion of Ukrainians on issues such as decentralization and
territorial integrity.
Opinion Polls
Presidential elections
Political-electoral Context
May: The Pew Research Center conducted a poll which found that a 77% of people nationwide want
Ukraine to maintain its current borders, and even in the east the figure is 70 percent. Only among
Russian speakers does the percentage drop significantly, but it is still over half at 58 percent.
May: The businessman Petro Poroshenko leads the presidential race in Ukraine with 48.4 % of the
vote, which is one step of winning in the first round of the elections.
May: The interim head of state, Alexandr Turchinov said that the elections of May 25 will not be held
in the antebellum anarchy that inhabits much of the east, where pro-Russian activists began a wave
of armed robberies public in buildings.
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International reaction to
Political-electoral Context
Political-electoral Context
United States
INFORMATION1
May: The president Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Friday at the White
House with the crisis in Ukraine as one the most important item on its agenda, and after they are to
impose more economic sanctions if Moscow "disturbs" the holding of elections.
May: The German government asked the new ?????? to Russia a greater involvement in the
Ukrainian crisis to curb violence and stabilize the region so that they can be held “nationwide" safe
and free presidential elections.
May: William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary will meet with candidates for the presidential
elections on May 25 in Ukraine, he stressed that the purpose of your trip is to show support for these
independent democratic nations and supporting Ukraine in its efforts to introduce reforms to create a
better country.
May: Republicans aiming to win control of the Senate in the 2014 elections may be forced to confront
runoffs in key states this summer that could expose intraparty rifts and allow small numbers of voters
to pick the nominees. In North Carolina, Republican Thom Tillis to capture at least 40 percent of the
vote in the May 6 primary to avoid a mid-July runoff against Democratic Senator Kay Hagan. In
Georgia a runoff election seems likely due to larger support for Democrat Michelle Nunn. In Iowa,
GOP must accomplish a 35% of vote to avoid GOP convention.
Political parties electoral
campaign
May: Mitt Romney endorsed Thom Tillis on the eve of the U.S. Senate primary election in North
Carolina in a context of seeking the party's nomination for the general elections. The endorsement is
the latest to reinforce Tillis as the favorite of the Republican establishment against Republican Greg
Brannon, who urged people not to vote for Romney in 2012.
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May: The Republican National Committee will meet in order to choose members who will effectively
set the calendar for 2016's long list of potential presidential contenders. This will allow the GOP to
pick its nominee more quickly than during past contests and have fewer debates in which candidates
could criticize each other.
May: Republicans in California seek to improve their image with a new candidate in accordance to
the needs and concerns of the people in order to make the party more appealing to different social
sectors, which is why the GOP launched Neel Kashkari for the governor´s race, as an attempt to
rebrand the GOP and to prevent far right Tea Party candidate, Tim Donnelly, to win the elections;
also the GOP will try to preserve incumbent governor, Jerry Brown
Electoral campaign
Legal capacity of the
political parties
May: Predominant political figures have started to perform in accordance to what would seem as pre
political campaigns for 2016, including Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, and Jeb Bush. Still, none has
confirmed their candidacy while other possible names start to figure for presidential elections: Vice
President Joe Biden, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley. Among
Republicans in the mix: Bush, the former Florida governor; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Cruz;
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; Kentucky Sen. Paul; Texas Gov. Rick Perry; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio;
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Wisconsin Gov. Scott
Walker.
May: The Democratic National Committee's rulemaking body is recommending a 2016 presidential
voting schedule that begins with the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1 and follows with voting that month in
New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Democrats recommend that the New Hampshire
primary be held on Feb. 9, the Nevada caucuses no earlier than Feb. 20, and the South Carolina
primary on Feb. 27. Under that calendar, Iowa retains its first-to-vote status while New Hampshire
continues to hold the nation's first primary.
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INFORMATION1
May: Actress Eva Longoria and Henry Munoz III, the finance chairman for the Democratic National
Committee, have partnered to launch the Latino Victory Project, which aims to empower Latino voters
and political candidates, with the intention of backing candidates who support comprehensive
immigration reform, with a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants as a key component, as
well as other policies and measures that the organization views as being in the best interests of
Latinos.
June: Getting African-Americans and other minority voters on board is a priority for the GOP in part
because birth rates among whites are shrinking in the U.S.; racial and ethnic minorities are expected
to make up a majority of Americans within about 30 years. The number of African-American voters
has increased steadily: 12.9 million in 2000, 14 million in 2004, 16 million in 2008 and 17.8 million in
2012.
Social inclusion
June: Attorney General Eric Holder will consult with tribes across the country to develop ways to
increase voting access for American Indians and Alaska Natives. The goal is to require state and
local election officials to place at least one polling site in a location chosen by tribal governments in
parts of the nation that include tribal lands. Barriers to voting, he said, include English-only ballots
and inaccessible polling places.
July: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told a national convention of black
journalists on Thursday that the GOP has been working to better compete for black and minority
votes as it eyes the 2016 presidential race. But Priebus, the RNC chairman since 2011, said the
national party's focus continues to be rebuilding a campaign "ground game" that's been outperformed
by Democrats, particularly in recent presidential races.
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INFORMATION1
August: conservative activists are offering English classes, health checkups and courses to help
Spanish-speakers earn high school diplomas. Charles and David Koch, billionaire industrialists
working to patch a gaping hole in the GOP coalition that could spell a generation of irrelevance if
Republicans cannot build some credibility with Hispanic voters.
May: In North Carolina Democratic Senator Kay Hagan lost against Republican candidate Thom
Tillis, who scored a 46% over the required 40% to win without a runoff. Tillis victory was attributed for
appealing to voters through a common sense conservativism and by gathering endorsements from
mainstream powers like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, while
attracting enough tea party and archconservative support to avoid a runoff that would have
highlighted GOP divisions.
May: Newark, New Jersey is to set elections for its next mayor after the previous leader in charge left
Elections, Local Elections, for the Senate. The two contenders are Attorney General Shavar Jeffries and City Councilman Ras
Baraka. The first has the support of the independent Newark First organization, while the second
Referendum, Popular
holds the support of the labor-connected New Jersey Working Families organization.
Consultation
May: Ras J. Baraka won the race for Mayor of Newark with a 54 percent to 46 percent lead over
former state assistant attorney general Shavar Jeffries, the election was nonpartisan whilst both
candidates were democrats.
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INFORMATION1
June: In Mississippi's Senate Republican race, Senator Thad Cochran, seeking a seventh six-year
term, faces state Senator Chris McDaniel, who's backed by tea party groups.
June: In South Dakota, businessman Rick Weiland is unopposed in the Democratic primary to
replace retiring Senator Tim Johnson. Former Governor Mike Rounds and four others seek the GOP
nomination. Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard seeks another term. Former state wildfire
agency head Joe Lowe and state Rep. Susan Wismer seek the Democratic nod for governor.
June: In Montana, Senator John Walsh was appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Democrat
Max Baucus. He faces two challengers in the Democratic primary. Republican Steve Daines and two
others seek the GOP nomination.
June: California is holding its first gubernatorial primary under the new all-candidates system in
which the top two finishers, regardless of party, face off in November. Democratic Governor Jerry
Brown is favored to grab one spot. Republicans include former investment banker Neel Kashkari and
state legislator Tim Donnelly.
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INFORMATION1
June: In Alabama, Republican Gov. Robert Bentley seeks a second term. Democratic candidates for
his job include former U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith and former baseball player Kevin Bass.
June: In New Mexico, five Democrats seek their party's nomination to challenge Republican
Governor Susana Martinez.
June: In New Jersey, former mayors Steve Lonegan and Tom MacArthur seek the GOP nod to
replace retiring U.S. Rep. John Runyan. Democratic contenders include Aimee Belgard and Howard
Kleinhendler.
Legal capacity
June: The Democratic-led Senate Judiciary Committee began a bid at a constitutional amendment
that would limit political campaign donors' influence. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the
free flow of money a big threat to democracy. Both parties acknowledge that the panel's efforts to
prohibit super PACs are likely to result in little more than election-year posturing. The proposal would
allow Congress and states to set limits on how much money may be raised and spent in political
campaigns.
July: New Mexico is one of 35 states that determines tied elections by a coin toss or some other
means of chance, according to state constitutions, statues, and election legislation. Kenneth Howard
Jr. and Robert Baca, both Democrats, received 2,879 votes in their June 3 primary in McKinley
County. Howard won the coin toss, which was done by a Democratic official, and because there was
no Republican opponent for the job, he will become the northwestern New Mexico county’s newest
magistrate judge.
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Voting abroad
Electoral results
Internal elections
Voter participation
Vote promotion
Political and electoral
context
INFORMATION1
June: The embassy said that in preparation for this November's general election, several U.S. voter
registration drives will be held in Lebanon, in which all Americans 18 years old and above are eligible.
Registration will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., administered by American volunteers; US Embassy
personnel will be on-site to notarize the state registration cards that require it.
July: The Mississippi Republican Party says U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran won the state's Republican
primary runoff over challenger Chris McDaniel by 7,667 votes. The GOP's numbers showed Cochran
winning by more than the 6,800 votes counted by The Associated Press after the June election.
McDaniel, a state senator, has said he would challenge the results. But his attorney Mitch Tyner says
it could be days before that happens.
July: The democratic group gathered in Detroit for the November Congressional elections as part of
the official agenda. Nevertheless, the meeting was also held as to find a primary candidate to take on
Hillary Clinton. The Democratic party holds such intention given a number of reasons in which they
believe Clinton has failed, such as cozying up to corporate interests and being soft on Wall Street to
failing to defend the undocumented children crossing the U.S. southern border.
July: The possible 2016 presidential candidates of the GOP already have begun a tight competition
to determine the presidential candidates. For now, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush contend closely, Bush
having a 16 pint advantage over Rubio within their native state of Florida. The political atmosphere
and preference over both candidates has been determined by the recent rejection of the immigration
bill proposed by president Obama.
July: More than half the states that held primary elections have seen record-low turnouts, signaling
widespread apathy within both political parties ahead of November's midterm elections. Of the almost
123 million voters who were eligible to cast ballots in primaries, only 18 did so, and states with sameday voter registration actually saw their turnout rates drop, according to the Center for the Study of
the American Electorate.
July: Vice president Joe Biden pronounced a statement against measures to restrict citizens' ability
to vote, in which he said there have been 83 attempts this year alone in 29 states to restrict voting
rights with measures that stiffen requirements on identification needed to vote, or limit or end early
voting. He identified the Republican judges on the U.S. Supreme Court who last year gutted a key
provision of the Voting Rights Act, noting the measure had strong bipartisan support for decades.
July: A circuit judge is being asked to move this year’s election dates including postponing next
month’s primary in order to draw up new congressional districts for the state. The request was filed
by a coalition of groups, including the League of Women Voters, who successfully challenged the
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INFORMATION1
current congressional map.
Voter registration
Opinion polls
July: White House officials are making plans to act before November's elections to grant work
permits to potentially millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally including parents or legal guardians of
U.S. citizen children, which could be around 3.8 million people, or parents of immigrants brought here
illegally as kids who've already received executive relief from Obama. That could be an additional
500,000 to 1 million people. The move could scramble election-year politics and lead some
conservative Republicans to push for impeachment proceedings against President Barack Obama.
July: New Mexico, which has gone back temporarily to using paper voter registration forms, was
trying to improve its motor voter performance in response to a 2010 court order. Poor implementation
of the National Voter Registration Act, the 21-year-old law that requires motor vehicle offices to
register voters, is emerging as a problem when almost every aspect of voting is coming under
scrutiny, either because of controversial voter identification laws or long lines at the polls.
May: The fight over the GOP´s image comes after several disastrous years of sliding GOP
registration, which stands at 28.5 percent of registered voters. Democrats have 43.5 percent, while
21 percent list no party preference.
August: a Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that a 51 percent of Americans disapprove of
the job performance by their own representative in Congress. Just 41 percent of Americans said they
approve of their representative's job performance, reflecting a new record low.
August: 28 percent of Americans think the nation is heading in the right direction. That's the lowest
level in August of an election year since 2008. One-third say they hope the Republicans take control
of Congress outright this fall, while the same share want to see Democrats in the leadership.
Uruguay
Electoral campaigns
May: Presidential candidate Tabaré Vázquez closed his electoral campaign for the primaries that will
determine the official candidacies for presidential elections during October. He represents the political
party, Frente Amplio, and only contends against senator Constanza Moreira.
Opinion polls
May: Tabaré Vazquez leads the polls with an 81% preference against the only rival for the
presidential race, senator Constanza Moreira, who has only a 15% preference.
Electoral results
June: During electoral primaries, ballots were cast and results were exposed according to ballot
casts: former president Tabare Vazquez (2005/2010), managed an 80% vote; challenger Constanza
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Moreira climbed to an 18%, given the fact her campaign started only a few weeks ago; in the junior
opposition Colorado party, similarly favorite candidate Pedro Bordaberry garnered over 70% of the
vote and his runner up, Jose Amorin Batlle, almost 30%; the National party, and the leading
opposition force, catapulted young Lacalle Pou, 41 to become the official candidate with 56% of the
vote, compared to 43% for Larrañaga.
June: The right-wing National Party's surprise winner by a wide margin was congressman Luis
Lacalle Pou, who supports home-grown marijuana and says he would keep much of the law as is.
The National Party is backed by about a third of Uruguay's electorate
Political and electoral
context
June: National Party´s candidate, Jorge Larranga, lost the primary elections due to his antimarihuana proposal, which intended to revoke the new law which puts the ruling Broad Front
government at the center of a regulated marijuana industry. The government's aim is to defeat
organized crime by producing cheaper, better, legal weed and selling it in pharmacies to registered
adults.
June: Raul Sendic, belonging to the political party Frente Amplio, comes forth with a strong support
Internal elections
United Kingdom
Political parties
within the party and within the electoral districts, having won 11 out of 19 electoral districts in
Uruguay. Being the youngest contender in the political race, Sendic has a possibility for the
presidential office, being Tabaré Vazquez the favorite so far. Nevertheless, his popularity among the
party may also lead his career into the vice presidency.
May: The Conservative party campaign for local and European elections began with the Prime
Minister, David Cameron, alluding to the economic growth and job increase since its party took
majority in the Parliament. He emphasized on the fact that only through the Conservatives that an
European Union 2017 referendum could be delivered. Also, he campaigned against the UKIP and
Labor parties, commenting on their inefficiency and lack of commitment in delivering results.
May: The UKIP political party responded to the Tory launch with another stark campaign poster
highlighting immigration from the EU showing an escalator running from the English Channel up the
White Cliffs of Dover with the slogan: "No Border. No Control. The EU has opened our borders to
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4,000 people a week."
June: The conservative faction of David Cameron´s political party aligned interests with
ultranationalist parties in regards to the UK´s further cooperation and inclusion into the European
Union. Such stance puts Cameron´s plans to renegotiate the relationship of the UK with the UE into a
more difficult position within the Parliament.
May: A YouGov poll at the weekend put the Conservatives in third place in the Euro-elections, with
19% support, well behind UKIP on 31% and Labor on 28%.
Opinion Polls
Political and electoral
context
Venezuela
Political crisis
June: The new poll from Lord Ashcroft puts the Conservatives on 42 per cent of the vote, UKIP on
27, Labour on 20 per cent and the Lib Dems on just six per cent. A Populus poll looking at votes in
the general election put the Conservatives behind Labour on 32 per cent, with Ed Miliband’s party
scoring a larger 37 per cent share. The Lib Dems fared better than in Newark on 10 per cent, with
UKIP on 13 per cent.
May: The reasons for the world to care about Scottish independence vote principally would also alter
the calculus for national politics in the rest of the country. On the foreign exchanges, the pound could
slide after the independence.
July: The leader of Venezuela's opposition coalition, Ramon Aveledo, resigned. He was the leader of
the of the Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition that brought opposition factions together behind him. He
said he was just stepping aside for the sake of renewal, but that he will continue to collaborate within
the opposition´s circle along Henrique Capriles.
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Bibliography
 International Services of Electoral News (SINE), Electoral Court of Panama
http://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/html/index.php?id=725
BBC News, Brazilian Internet Law
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2014/04/140423_brasil_ley_internet_marco_civil_rg.shtml
 Reuters webpage http://rt.com/news/crimea-referendum-status-ukraine-154/
 Russian Duma Official Website http://www.duma.gov.ru/news/273/633271/
http://asozd2.duma.gov.ru/main.nsf/%28SpravkaNew%29?OpenAgent&RN=475948-6&02
http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2014/04/26/actualidad/1398519688_278102.html
Javier Solana’s twitter
 Qurultay and Mejlis official website http://qtmm.org/en/qurultay
http://qtmm.org/en/general-information-about-mejlis
 El Salvador http://www.tse.gob.sv/2014/escrutiniopre_1ray2davuelta/inicio.htm
 Costa Rica https://www.tse.go.cr/
 Cámara de Diputados, México
http://www5.diputados.gob.mx/index.php/esl/Comunicacion/Boletines/2014/Abril/21/3435-Camara-de-Diputados-semantiene-atenta-a-las-iniciativas-de-leyes-secundarias-en-materia-politico-electoral
 ACE Project website http://aceproject.org
 http://flagpedia.net/es/
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 http://www.electionguide.org/calendar.php
 National Democratic Institute https://www.ndi.org/
 UNAMA, United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan
http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=12254&ctl=Details&mid=15756&ItemID=37856&language=en-US
 Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan http://www.iec.org.af/
 Portugal 40 anos depois:
http://jornalismob.com/2014/04/25/40-anos-depois-da-revolucao-dos-cravos-portugal-democratico-sofre-com-austeridade/

Informe Semanal , Radio Televisión Española
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/informe-semanal/informe-semanal-portugal-40-anos-depois/2532407/
 Iraq. Der Spiegel, german newspaper online. http://linkis.com/spon.de/n9fsC
 New Caledonia: http://fr.visitenouvellecaledonie.com/decouvrez/histoire
http://www.france.fr/es/regiones-y-metropolis/geografia-la-francia-de-ultramar.html
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000555817
 Niue, http://www.niuegov.com/
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/niue-government-wins-final-election-seat-after-strawpoll/1297216
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