The question who may vote is a central issue in elections. The electorate does not usually include the entire population; for example, many countries prohibit those judged mentally incompetent from voting, and all jurisdictions require a minimum age for voting.
Suffrage is typically only for citizens of the country. Further limits may be imposed: for example, in Kuwait, only people who have been citizens since 1920 or their descendants are allowed to vote, a condition that the majority of residents do not fulfill.
However, in the European Union, one can vote in municipal elections if one lives in the municipality and is an EU citizen; the nationality of the country of residence is not required.
In some countries, voting is required by law; if an eligible voter does not cast a vote, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as a small fine.
Normally there is a citizenship requirement, an age requirement, a residency requirement, and, perhaps, a non-felon requirement. Before the Second World War, in most countries women were not eligible for public office. Non-partisan systems tend to differ from partisan systems as concerns nominations. In a direct democracy, one type of nonpartisan democracy, any eligible person can be nominated. In some non-partisan representative systems no nominations take place at all, with voters free to choose any person at the time of voting in the jurisdiction.
As far as partisan systems, in some countries, only members of a particular political party can be nominated, or an eligible person can be nominated through a petition, thus allowing him or her to be listed on a ballot.
The government positions for which elections are held vary depending on the locale. In a representative democracy, such as the United States, some positions are not filled through elections. For example, judges are usually appointed rather than elected to help protect their impartiality. There are exceptions to this practice, however; some judges in the United States are elected, and in ancient Athens military generals were elected.
In some cases, there may exist an intermediate tier of electors between constituents and an elected figure. However, in most representative democracies, this level of indirection is usually nothing more than a formality. For example, the President of the United States is elected by the Electoral College, and in the
Westminster System, the Prime Minister is formally chosen by the head of state (and in reality – by the legislature or by their party).
A Scan Text 10.2 and answer the questions:
a) What countries are mentioned in the text?
b) What question is central in elections?
B Read the text. Mark the statements True or False
According to the information in the text. Justify your
Answer by reference to the text.
1. As a rule, the entire population of the country takes part in
elections.
2. Jurisdictions of all countries require a minimum age of
voting.
3. Women have always been eligible for public office.
4. In a direct democracy any eligible person can be
nominated.
5. In a representative democracy some positions are filled
through appointment.
COMPREHENSION
A The requirements to those who can be eligible to hold an
Office are mentioned in the text. What are they?
B The text states the difference between non-partisan and
Partisan systems. What is this difference?
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
A Read the words and guess their meaning. Mind the stress.
'mental e'lectorate
'typically ma'jority
'limits mu'nicipal
'formal munici'pality
'practice nomi'nation
B Look at these derivatives. Use your knowledge of English
And logical reasoning to explain the meaning of each word
Below. Translate these word combinations into Russian.
elect –– > elections –– > electoral –– >elected
to elect smb chairman; to hold elections; an electoral system; an
elected figure
nominate –– > nomination –– >nominee
to nominate an eligible person; a nomination day; to become a
nominee
require –– > requirements
to require by law; citizenship requirements
appoint –– > appointment –– > appointed
to appoint members; to hold an appointment; appointed time
represent –– > representative –– > representation
to represent a majority; a representative democracy; a large
representation
C Find in the text the equivalents for the following words
And word combinations, read the sentences containing
These words and word combinations and translate them
Into Russian.
избиратели; запрещать голосовать; избирательное право;
страна проживания; имеющий право быть избранным;
выдвижение кандидата; требования к; вносить в
избирательный бюллетень; назначать на должность; глава
государства.