THE ELECTION SYSTEM OF SWEDEN

The Kingdom of Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of authorities. The caput of province is the King ( or Queen ) who has merely ceremonial responsibilities and maps, but no executive privilege. Executive authorization is exercised by the authorities, which is composed of the premier curate and the cabinet of curates, and held accountable to parliament. The premier curate is approved by the parliament. The Parliament ( Riksdag ) is a unicameral organic structure composed of 349 deputies, elected for four-year footings. Of the 349 parliamentary authorizations, 310 are elected utilizing an open-list relative representation system within 29 multi-member electoral constituencies. To be awarded a

‘permanent ‘ place, a political party must either obtain 4 per cent of the ballots cast countrywide or 12 per cent of the ballots cast in one constituency. Votes are cast for unfastened party lists in which electors may show a penchant for single campaigners.

Elections in the Kingdom of SwedenA are held every four old ages, and find the make-up of the legislative organic structures on the three degrees of administrative division in the state. At the highest degree, these elections determine the allotment of seats in theA Riksdag, the national legislative organic structure ofA Sweden. Elections to the 20county councilsA ( landsting ) and 290A municipal assembliesA ( kommunfullmaktige ) are held at the same time with the legislative elections on the 3rd Sunday of September, and utilize approximately the same electoral system.

The Riksdag:

TheA RiksdagA is the nationalA legislative assemblyA of Sweden. It performs the normal maps of a parliament in aA parliamentary democracy. It enacts Torahs, amends the fundamental law and appoints a authorities. In most parliamentary democracies, theA caput of stateA committees a politician to organize a authorities. Under the new Instrument of Government enacted in 1974, that undertaking was removed from theA Monarch of SwedenA and given to the Speaker of the Riksdag. To do alterations to the Constitution under the new Instrument of Government, amendments must be approved twice by Parliament, in two consecutive electoral periods with a regular general election held in between.

Members of the Riksdag are elected by a two-tier relative representation ( PR ) system. A sum of 310 seats are filled in 29 multi-member electoral constituencies. Permanent constituency seats, which are allocated among the constituencies in proportion to the size of their electorates, are distributed harmonizing to the adjusted odd-number or modified Sainte-Lague method of PR. Voters may project a ballot for a constituency party list, or for a specific campaigner. Riksdag seats are apportioned on a countrywide footing among political parties in the same mode as constituency seats, viz. by the modified Sainte-Lague method. In order to take part in the distribution of Riksdag seats, a party must obtain at least four per centum of all valid ballots cast. However, a party that receives at least 12 per centum of all valid ballots in a constituency is entitled to take portion in the distribution of that constituency ‘s lasting seats.

If the figure of seats awarded to a party on a countrywide footing is smaller than its entire figure of constituency seats, the constituency seats obtained by the party in inquiry are subtracted from the entire figure of Riksdag seats, and a countrywide distribution of the staying seats is carried out among the other measure uping parties. This regulation besides applies to parties that have obtained constituency seats but polled fewer than four per centum of the countrywide ballot. Riksdag mandates won by a party at the multi-member constituency degree are so subtracted from the entire figure of seats allocated to that party, and the staying authorizations are filled from 39 accommodation seats. These authorizations are later allocated at the constituency degree on the footing of the largest Sainte-Lague quotients which have non been used to apportion lasting seats, or the entire figure of ballots polled by a measure uping party in constituencies where it has non obtained any lasting seats.

The County Council:

AA County Council, orA Landsting, is an elective assembly of aA CountyA inA Sweden. The County Council is a political entity, elected by the county electorate and typically its chief duties lie within theA public wellness careA system. In each county there is besides aA County Administrative BoardA which is an administrative entity appointed by theA Government. Constitutionally the County Councils exercising a grade of municipal self authorities provided for in theConstitution of Sweden. This does non represent any grade of federalism, which is consistent with Sweden ‘s position as a unitary province. In Swedish nomenclature the County Council is considered to be a “ Provincial Municipality ” orA Landstingskommun.

In each County there are besides several smaller entities for theA local governmentA and disposal that constitute municipal self authorities, which are independent of the County Councils. It is called a “ Primary Municipality ” orA Primarkommun, and more obviously “ Municipality ” orA Kommun. The island ofA GotlandA is a particular instance in that it makes up one full county but at the same clip merely one municipality. As Gotland does non hold a separate entity for a County Council, the Municipality of Gotland besides handles the County Council tasks.A

The Municipal Assembly:

AA municipal assembly is the decision-making organic structure regulating each of the 290A municipalities of Sweden. Though theA Swedish Local Government ActA A uses the term “ municipal assembly ” in the English interlingual rendition of the Act, “ municipal council ” and even “ metropolis council ” are used as good, even in official contexts in English by several of Sweden ‘s largest municipalities. The figure of members in each assembly can run from 31 to 101, depending on the population of the municipality in inquiry. Members of the assemblies are chosen to function for four-year footings through elections utilizing aA party-list relative representationA system. These municipal electionsA are held on the 3rd Sunday of September, the same twenty-four hours asA Swedish parliamentary elections.

II – Right of Equal Right to vote

The regulating Torahs:

The fundamental law, the 2005 Elections Act ( 2005:837 ) and the Election Ordinance are the primary legal instruments modulating the behavior of parliamentary elections. The fundamental law is composed of four cardinal Torahs: ( 1 ) the 1974 Instrument of Government that provides for the basic characteristics of the system of authorities, ( 2 ) the 1810 Act of Succession that provides the regulations on sequence to the throne, ( 3 ) the 1949 Freedom of the Press Act, and ( 4 ) the 1991 Fundamental Law on Freedom of

Expression The fundamental law outlines general rules of equal and cosmopolitan right to vote, free, secret and direct elections of the Parliament, and the electoral system.

The 2005 Elections Act sets out elaborate commissariats for elections. It specifies the division of undertakings between the local, regional and cardinal election governments, canvassing station staff and the Election Review Board. The Elections Act besides contains commissariats associating to electoral territories and boundary boundary line, design and production of ballot documents, processs for vote, ballot numeration and the allotment of seats, and entreaties against election consequences.

The Regulation with Instructions for the Election Authority regulates the Election Authority, which has cardinal administrative authorization for elections. The Ordinance provides inside informations refering decision-making processs and the organisational construction of the Authority.

Requirements to be a elector:

To vote in a SwedishA parliamentary election, one must be:

a Swedish citizen,

at least 18 old ages of age on election twenty-four hours,

and have at some point been a registered occupant of Sweden ( therefore excepting nonnative Swedes who have ne’er lived in Sweden )

To vote in SwedishA local electionsA ( for the county councils and municipal assemblies ) , one must:

be a registered occupant of the county or municipality in inquiry and be at least 18 old ages of age on election twenty-four hours

autumn into one of the undermentioned groups:

Swedish citizens

Citizens ofA Iceland, A Norway, or any state in theA European Union

Citizens of any other state who have lasting residence in Sweden and have lived in Sweden for three back-to-back old ages

Requirements to be a campaigner:

The demands to be a campaigner in the Sweden elections are:

nomination by a registered political partyA

the names of the titular and utility member must be submitted simultaneouslyA

The eligibility demands of a campaigner in the Sweden elections are:

qualified electorsA

age: at least 18 old ages old on election dayA

Swedish citizenship ( including naturalized citizens ) A

citizens overseas are eligible under certain conditions ( if they are on the particular electoral axial rotation mentioned under elector demands ) A

ineligibilities: holders of impermanent entry licenses, undocumented immigrants

The mode of vote:

The mode of vote in Sweden is different because unlike in many states where electors chose from a list of campaigners or parties, each party in Sweden has separate ballot documents. The ballot documents must be indistinguishable in size and stuff, and have different colourss depending on the type of election: yellow for Riksdag elections, blue for county council elections and white for municipal elections and elections to the European Parliament.

Swedish electors can take between three different types of ballot documents. TheA party ballot paperhas merely the name of a political party printed on the forepart and is blank on the dorsum. This ballot is used when a elector wishes to vote for a peculiar party, but does non wish to give penchant to a peculiar campaigner. TheA name ballot paperA has a party name followed by a list of campaigners ( which can go on on the other side ) . A elector utilizing this ballot can take ( but is non required ) to project a personal ballot by come ining a grade following to a peculiar campaigner, in add-on to voting for their political party. Alternatively, a elector can take aA clean ballot paperA and compose a party name on it

Voting takes topographic point at ballot response points. Voters shall vote in the first case at their polling Stationss on the election twenty-four hours. They can besides prior or during the election twenty-four hours vote at voting topographic points set up by the municipalities or foreign missions. Voters may besides in certain instances ballot by courier or missive. The Central Election Authority shall find, following audience with the Government Offices ( Ministry for Foreign Affairs ) , the Swedish foreign missions at which there shall be voting topographic points.

III – Reception and numeration of ballots:

Reception of ballots:

For the ballot response at ballot response points there shall be a suited figure of screened topographic points ( voting booths ) at a ballot response point where the electors can vote without being observed. In add-on to the general commissariats on vote and response of ballots that are included in Chapters 7 and 8 the commissariats of this chapter apply for ballot response at polling Stationss. If the commissariats of this chapter pervert from those in Chapters 7 and 8, the commissariats of this chapter shall use alternatively.

In add-on to the general commissariats on vote and response of ballots contained in Chapters 7 and 8, the commissariats of this chapter shall use for ballot response at voting topographic points. If the commissariats of this chapter pervert from those in Chapters 7 and 8, the commissariats of this chapter shall use alternatively.

Count of Votes:

Immediately after ballot response at the polling station is concluded and all ballot envelopes that shall be placed in the ballot box have been deposited in it, the vote clerks shall take out the envelopes and number the ballots. The numeration of ballots is public and shall be implemented without break. The consequence of the numeration of ballots is preliminary.

On the Wednesday following the election twenty-four hours, the election commission shall run into to analyze and number the ballots that have non been counted at the polling Stationss. This meeting is public. The consequence of the commission ‘s numeration of ballots is preliminary. At the meeting the commission shall analyze

1. window envelopes and screen envelopes for postal ballots that up to and including the election twenty-four hours were received by the commission and retained at that place,

2. window envelopes and screen envelopes for postal ballots that the vote clerks have returned to the commission in conformity with Chapter 9, Section 13,

3. window envelopes and screen envelopes for postal ballots that were received by the commission before any of the ballot boxes referred to in Section 2 have been emptied, and

4. window envelopes and screen envelopes for postal ballots that the vote clerks in conformity with Chapter 9, Section 12 have inserted into particular screens. The scrutiny shall in appropriate respects be conducted in the same manner as harmonizing to Chapter 9, Sections 9-12.

After which, The county administrative board shall carry on the concluding numeration of ballots. The proceedings shall be public and shall be conducted without hold. If an election to the Riksdag has been held at the same clip as another election, the election to the Riksdag shall be counted foremost.

The county administrative board shall at the proceedings consider whether the ballot documents are valid harmonizing to Sections 6 and 7 and whether any name on a ballot paper should be deemed to be non-existent harmonizing to Section 8 and besides make the determinations required by this reappraisal. The county administrative board shall do the determinations that are necessary as a consequence of the information contained in the records referred to in Chapter 9, Section 16.

Election Governments:

TheA Swedish Election Authority:

TheA Swedish Election Authority, orA Valmyndigheten, is aA Government agencyA responsible for forming national elections and referendums inA Sweden.A The bureau began its operations on 1 July 2001 when it took over the duties from theA Swedish National Tax Board. Local and regional elections are the duty of the respectiveA municipalitiesA andA county councils, nevertheless these elections ever take topographic point at the same time with the national elections for theA Parliament of Sweden. As the cardinal administrative authorization for elections, the Election Authority has an instrumental function in all public elections in Sweden. It is besides the cardinal administrative authorization. The Authority is among other things responsible for roll uping the electoral registries and the printing of vote cards.A

The County Administrative Board:

AA County Administrative BoardA ( Swedish: A Lansstyrelse ) is aA GovernmentA appointed board of aA CountyA in Sweden. It is led by aA GovernorA orA LandshovdingA appointed for a term of six old ages and the list of sequence, in most instances, stretches back to 1634 when the counties were created. The chief duty of the County Administrative Board is to organize the development of the county in line with ends set in national political relations. In each county there is besides aA County CouncilA which is a policy-making assembly elected by the occupants of the county. It is besides the regional election authorization. The county administrative board decides on electoral territory boundaries and is responsible for the concluding numeration of the ballots in all elections.

The Election Committee:

The Election CommitteeA ( valnamnden ) is the local election authorization in Stockholm. The Committee is responsible for the practical execution of elections which includes to fit and adult male the polling Stationss, run the preliminary numeration of the ballots and to describe the consequences.

Entreaty:

Decisions or other steps harmonizing to this Act may be appealed against merely to the extent as provided in this chapter. A determination by an election commission non to accept an hindrance for accepting an assignment as voting clerk may be appealed against to the county administrative board. The clip for entreaties shall be counted from the twenty-four hours the determination was made. Decisions of the county administrative board under this subdivision may non be appealed against. An entreaty must be submitted to the authorization that has issued the determination appealed against ( make up one’s minding authorization ) .

Part II – Reappraisal AND EXAMINATION OF THE MAY 2010 AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES

Observation and Reappraisal:

Is the Philippines ready for machine-controlled election? Are we ready for something new? First, allow us discourse the advantages and disadvantages that will emerge if our state engages with an machine-controlled election. Smartmatic ( besides referred as Smartmatic Corp. or Smartmatic International ) is a transnational corporation founded in 2000 that specializes in the design and deployment of complex purpose-specific engineering solutions. It is organized around three concern countries: Electronic vote systems, incorporate security systems, and biometric systems for people enrollment and hallmark for authorities applications. Smartmatic offers the Smartmatic Automated Election System ( SAES ) , a incorporate vote, examination, tabular matter, allotment and consequence broadcast solution -suitable for any type of election- which was officially released in 2003. In add-on to the many benefits of the SAES system, its most outstanding advantage lies in the warrant of entire transparence in any given electoral or referendum procedure. SAES offers the possibility to verify and audit consequences through different agencies, vouching zero numerical incompatibilities between all phases covered by every individual ballot, from existent casting to concluding examination. Smartmatic provides us other benefits and advantages if we will cover with mechanization of election.

It has been a long clip since the Filipinos gave their assurance and trust to the election system of the state. This is true because in the old elections, there were so many of issues that tainted our election system ‘s unity, one of which is the so called “ dagdag bawas ” . Then here comes a jurisprudence which was enacted to better the election system of our state. It was supposed to be implemented prior to the recent 2010 elections, but due to some jobs that were encountered, it extended its execution to the twelvemonth 2010. This new jurisprudence and the new system were implemented to assist turn to the common jobs of our election system.

“ The May 10 election was the first of all time nationally automated election in the history of the Philippines. The election was widely viewed as a possible water parting in the Philippines ‘ democratic consolidation, in visible radiation of a history of elections marred by electoral fraud and abnormalities. ”

Besides every bit worded in the station by Jimenez, Agnes Embile “ This coming May 2010, every Filipino will hold their gustatory sensation of the first of all time automated election here in the Philippines.A This is a really important milepost in our state ‘s history given those long old ages of boring manual election procedure that non merely gives load to our instructors and voluntaries, but has besides left dubious and questionable election consequences. Through theA PCOSA ( Precinct Count Optical Scan System ) machine, an automatic numeration of ballots will take place.A This wo n’t merely do the undertaking of our instructors lighter, but would besides decrease monolithic cheating during election.A But, before anything else, we must cognize first how dependable this machine-controlled system is.A Below are of import facts and inside informations about Smartmatic’sA PCOS machine. ”

The new PCOS machine is supposed to back up us in doing our election process convenient and dependable. But during the day of the month of the election and even prior to such day of the month, it encountered plentifulness of jobs. “ While the automated election system ( AES ) is credited for bettering the numeration and polling procedure, there were jobs with the testing, bringing and operation of the PCOS machines and its constituent parts ”

A digital journalist commented, “ The billion-peso machine-controlled election undertaking of the Filipino authorities is confronting a serious proficient job when the ballot numbering machines failed to number ballots for some campaigners during the mock-up polls conducted in some countries of Metro Manila. Less than a hebdomad before election twenty-four hours, the first Philippine automated election is in danger of being postponed or scrapped wholly if the Commission on Elections ( Comelec ) and its private spouse Smartmatic can non rectify the bugs that came up when numbering machines failed to number the ballots of local campaigners. The bugs were discovered when mock elections were conducted in some selected countries of Metro Manila and Mindoro state. ”

The promised utility and efficiency of these PCOS machines and the unity of the new Automated Election System in the Philippines were non to the full realized when the day of the month of election came. “ On Election Day, the operation of the PCOS machines encountered legion proficient bugs, runing from minor 1s that lasted for a few proceedingss, to other proficient jobs that suspended polling for hours. As aforesaid, this badly delayed the 5 electoral procedures, prolonged waiting times and discouraged vote. The on-site proficient staff individual, if present at all, frequently did non cognize how to work out the job and had to name for external aid. It was noted by ANFREL perceivers that these technicians reported that they had received really small preparation, two yearss at most ” . “ The Board of Election Inspectors ( BEIs ) who administered the electoral procedure in each polling station should be commended for their diligent attempts. However, several of import facets of electoral disposal were flawed, which compromised the unity of the electoral process. “

“ Some jobs with this twelvemonth ‘s electoral disposal are non new to Filipino elections. First and first, secretiveness of the ballot was virtually impossible, due to the agreement of the polling station xxx. “

“ thirty Another cardinal job was the laxness in look intoing electors ‘ individuality against the registered electors list. thirty ”

“ thirty Distribution of run stuffs was besides observed outside every polling compound visited by ANFREL perceivers, and in many cases inside the polling premises every bit good. thirty ”

“ thirty Majority of election stuffs, including PCOS machines, reached several precincts on clip for the election and ready to utilize, nevertheless there were many instances where the PCOS CF cards arrived late and instances of PCOS machines non geting until sometime on Election Day itself. thirty ”

“ thirty in most of the precincts, BEIs were non consistent in look intoing the fingers for ink before passing over the ballot documents. ”

Notwithstanding these jobs that occurred during the existent twenty-four hours of election, still COMELEC declared that it was a entire success. As stated by Gomez, Jim in his station, “ Despite bugs with new computerized numeration machines and force that claimed at least nine lives, election functionaries hailed Monday ‘s ballot as a success in a state where canvass fraud allegations have marred old competitions. ”

Recommendations:

“ Notwithstanding the consequences of the May 2010 elections with regard to the National Elections aˆ¦ non all of the local electoral consequences could be relied upon to the same extentaˆ¦ . the machine-controlled election system is in serious demand of reappraisal and remedial steps. ”

With the first machine-controlled election already conducted here in the Philippines and in position of the reverses and bugs that occurred during such election, COMELEC should turn to these jobs in order to hold better automated elections in the hereafter. Based on surveies and existent experience on the old machine-controlled election, it is strongly recommended that COMELEC should guarantee that their BEI ‘s and canvass spectators, including their technicians, are really good knowing sing their responsibilities during election twenty-four hours. The BEI ‘s should guarantee that the election procedure is to the full and swimmingly implemented to avoid unneeded reverses with respect to the election processs, particularly with the regulations on the length of clip which a elector is allowed in vote. This is for the ground that during the existent election, some electors where devouring excessively much clip in voting but the BEI ‘s did non even take the necessary action. That job caused so much incommodiousness to the other electors, which led to some electors being discouraged in exerting their right to suffrage. For the canvass spectators, they should guarantee that the precedence in vote of the electors is harmonizing to the first in clip regulation. Those who came to the vote precinct foremost should be given precedence than those who came subsequently. What happened in the old election was electors who came in the vote precinct tardily were able to vote earlier than those electors who were already waiting in line to vote. This was due to personal grounds by the canvass spectators and the opprobrious electors. Possibly COMELEC should set up a manner to minimise the waiting clip of the electors during election twenty-four hours ; illustrations could be giving of precedence Numberss, or possibly puting up agendas for each precinct in order to decrease the electors geting in the vote country. For the portion of the technicians, it is strongly recommended that COMELEC should guarantee that the technicians they employ should be able to mend or work out any jobs with respect to the operation of the machine. This is besides one facet which led to the hold of the vote processs for what really transpired during the old election was that whenever the machine breaks down, the technicians were non able to repair or work out the jobs.

Another facet that COMELEC should turn to is on the regulations sing the agendas of the cargo of the machines. As what can be observed in the old machine-controlled election, the PCOS machines arrived at the canvassing topographic point on the twenty-four hours of the election. This is in misdemeanor of the regulations set for by jurisprudence, for there is a demand on the yearss which the machines should get in the polling topographic point. The ground for this regulation is to enable the BEI ‘s to run a trial on the machine a twosome of yearss prior to the election, to guarantee that the machines are working decently.

Besides with respect to the facet of elector ‘s secretiveness, COMELEC should guarantee that the ballots of a elector are really good maintain secret from other people. What really transpired from the old machine-controlled election was people outside the room used for voting were able to see the ballots that were cast by a elector particularly when the elector is about to feed the official ballot to the PCOS machine.

There are besides other recommendations to the COMELEC given by dependable beginnings to guarantee a more effectual and efficient machine-controlled elections in the hereafter.

“ Based on the observations of this mission, ANFREL suggests the following to do elections in the Philippines more free and just: Implement the ordinances on run funding and disbursement ; do all necessary attempts to stop the civilization of ballot purchasing ; extinguish candidacy on canvassing twenty-four hours, both inside and outside the polling Stationss ; better the elector enrollment procedure to guarantee an reliable and dependable electors list ; explore ways to modify the polling process or precinct districting in order to assist maximise voter engagement and public assurance in the election ; guarantee the secretiveness of the ballot ; strengthen preparation of BEIs and canvass spectators to guarantee that polling processs are implemented in a unvarying mode, and that the polling environment is orderly and peaceable ; recognize a wide and representative scope of civil society organisations, so that civil society can prosecute with and supervise the electoral procedure ; design procedures to minimise the figure of jilted ballots, such as carry oning a manual count of jilted ballots ; set up clear eventuality programs for PCOS machine failure or transmittal failure ; publish informations on the electoral procedure every bit shortly as possible to increase transparence of the electoral procedure and let for post-election monitoring by all stakeholders ; exhaustively look into election-related violent incidents every bit good as incidents of political force, and convey the culprits to justness. ”

From another beginning it stated their recommendation as follows:

“ The deputation offered a series of recommendations that it hoped would be helpful in advancing inclusive, crystalline and believable elections. They included goad: The Commission on Elections to set about a major attempt to bolster public assurance in the machine-controlled system and the nonpartisanship of its determinations ; That random manual audits should be undertaken utilizing a big adequate sample of electronic vote machines to guarantee public assurance in the machine-controlled system at the national degree ; The armed forces of the Philippines and the Philippines National Police to make all they can to back up the unity of the electoral procedure and the holiness of the ballot, every bit good as long pillow the safety of members of the intelligence media ; Robust and widespread public engagement in nonpartizan citizen monitoring of elections ; The authorities of the Philippines to mobilise all of its resources to educate the populace about vote processs and the new machine-controlled system ; and The election committee to do available on the Internet and in other signifiers the information presently available on run outgos before the election. ”