élections

An election is a formal process in which eligible citizens cast ballots to choose public officials or decide on public policies. Elections are a core mechanism of representative democracy, providing legitimacy to government and a means of holding officeholders accountable through periodic competition.

Elections vary by scope and form. General elections determine national or regional legislatures or executives; local elections decide subnational offices such as mayors and councils; presidential elections select the head of state; and referendums or plebiscites allow voters to approve or reject specific measures.

Electoral systems differ in how votes translate into seats. Common models include plurality or first-past-the-post, majority systems (including runoffs), proportional representation, and mixed or hybrid systems. Some jurisdictions also use indirect elections, such as an electoral college or upper-house appointment by parties.

Suffrage defines who may vote. Criteria typically include citizenship, residency, and age thresholds; many countries have eliminated gender or race restrictions, while some systems restrict voting for certain individuals (for example, in incarceration or mental incapacity) under varying rules.

Election administration includes voter registration, campaigning, voting methods (in person, by mail, or electronically), vote counting, and results certification. Independent electoral commissions or similar bodies oversee procedures to ensure neutrality, transparency, and integrity, often with domestic or international observers and campaign-finance rules.

Challenges include ensuring broad participation, preventing disenfranchisement, safeguarding against fraud or interference, and managing logistical complexity. The modern concept of elections evolved from ancient practices and matured with constitutional democracies that expanded universal suffrage and formalized rules for peaceful transfers of power.