world election day

Global Election Day every year Held on the first Thursday of February. In 2023, the date coincides with February 2.

The holiday was established in 2005 during the World Conference of Electoral Organizations held in Siofok, Hungary from September 14-17.

World Election Day, as envisioned by its founders, should draw people’s attention to the problem of securing voting rights and improving electoral processes, and aims to promote global democracy, increase knowledge about elections, and encourage voter participation in voting.

With traditions Various election events are held on this day.

Modern elections have their origins in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, where free citizens were asked to participate in political life by sitting in popular assemblies. The will of the people, expressed by voting in the parliament, has the force of law.

In ancient Greece, open voting and secret voting were used by lot. The “ballot” was a bean: white beans meant “for”, black beans meant “against”. There was another type of secret ballot in Athens, the “court of pottery shards”: according to this, the community had the right to expel any public figure from the city if its popularity threatened the foundations of democracy. The voting procedure looked like this: the participant took a piece and wrote on it the name of the person he thought should be deported from Athens, and then placed the piece in a special fenced-in place on the square. The person whose name was repeated more was declared exile.

The election campaign in ancient Rome began long before voting day. The candidate declared to the authorities that he wanted to be a candidate. Then the election campaign began. The event went like this: The candidate, wearing a white toga (candidate), which means that he should have a clear conscience, went to the squares and bazaars and asked for support from the voters. On election day, every voter took a small tablet -a ballot paper-and put the candidate’s name on it and put it in the ballot box.

The origins of electoral technologies in the territory of modern Russia also originate in ancient times. In the ancient city of Tanais (III century BC – V century AD), located on the territory of the Rostov region, one of the most primitive methods was used – hand voting.

The residents of Tanais gathered for a public rally in the town square, and after the chairman of the meeting read the text of the proposed resolution or the name of the elected candidate, they raised their hands in agreement.

The great French Revolution has already played a major role in the development of democracy in our time. He contributed to the emergence of concepts such as “active voting rights”, “passive voting rights”, “voter lists”, “human and civil rights”.

The modern secret voting system, in which the electoral commission prints the ballot, gives it to the electorate and puts a mark on the ballot, was developed and implemented in Austria in the second half of the 19th century.

Participation in the conduct of public affairs, including elections, is a human right protected by international law. documents in the field of human rights. It is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 21) and provisions of subsequent agreementsespecially article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

At the regional level, this fundamental right is also recognized in the African, American and European human rights systems.

Countries and peoples of the world knownthat free and sincere elections are the most important democratic necessity and a necessary means of expressing the will of the people, which is the basis of state power.

In addition to being a human right in itself, participation also has an important place in election processes like other human rights. For the full exercise of the right to vote and to be elected, it is important that human rights are respected and realized by all people, especially equality and non-discrimination, freedom of thought and expression, and the right to freedom. peaceful assembly and association, security and effective remedies.

In Russia, in 2012, in the elections of state officials of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local governments – the second Sunday of September of the year – a single voting day was determined. deadlines are coming to an end powers of these bodies and in the election year of the deputies of the State Duma of the next meeting – the day of voting in this election. With data The Central Election Commission will vote in September 2023 as part of a federal and 45 regional election campaigns in Russia.

The material has been prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources.