Political Franchise, otherwise known as Franchise or Suffrage, is the right to vote, or be voted for, by the public society. Suffrage is often conceived in terms of elections for representatives, referenda, or initiatives. It not only describes the legal right to vote but also the practical question of whether a question will be put to a vote. The utility of suffrage is reduced when important questions are decided unilaterally without extensive, conscientious, full disclosure and public review.
In most modern democracies, eligible voters can vote in elections of representatives. Voting on issues by referendum can also be available (in Switzerland, referenda are permitted at all levels of government. In the United States, some states have exercised their shared sovereignty to offer citizens the opportunity to write, propose, and vote on referendums and initiatives. In the United Kingdom, referenda are rare.)
The following questions are supposed to determine, if to a limited degree, whether or not a country is Franchised, the type of Franchise its citizens enjoy, and what affairs can or can not be put to vote.
- Code: Select all
[spoiler=WIF Questionnaire Form][size=110][b]General Information[/b][/size]
[b]Your nation's full name:[/b]
[b]Your nation's full population:[/b]
[b]Your nation's type of government:[/b]
[size=110][b]General Elections[/b][/size]
[b]Are General elections held in your nation?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]How often are elections held in your country?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your population is eligible for voting in General elections?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your eligible population participates in General elections?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What function do general elections have in your nation?[/b] [u]Please, put an X in the criteria(s) that elections can be held for[/u]
[tab=40][/tab][b]General Government[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]General Legislature[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Other[/b] ([u]please specify[/u])
[size=110][b]Regional Elections[/b][/size]
[b]Are Regional elections held in your nation?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]How often are regional elections held in your country?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your population is eligible for voting in Regional elections?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your eligible population participates in Regional elections?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What function do regional elections have in your nation?[/b] [u]Please, put an X in the criteria(s) that elections can be held for[/u]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Federal State Government[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Federal State Legislature[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Regional Government[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Regional Legislature[/b] [ ]
[tab=40][/tab][b]Other[/b] ([u]please specify[/u])
[size=110][b]Referenda[/b][/size]
[b]Are Referendums held in your nation?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]How often are Referendums held in your country?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your population is eligible for voting in Referendums?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What percentage of your eligible population participates in Referendums?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]What function do Referendums have in your nation?[/b]
[size=110][b]The Right to Vote[/b][/size]
[b]What percentage of your population is eligible to vote?[/b]
[b]Are all votes valued equally in your elections?[/b]
[b]How is citizenship determined in your country?[/b]
[b]Do any of the following criteria limit the right to vote or necessitate a higher value for a vote in your country?[/b]
[tab=20][/tab][b]Citizenship[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Age[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Gender[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Race[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Education[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Occupation[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Wealth[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Property[/b]:
[tab=20][/tab][b]Tax[/b]:
[b]Is disenfranchisement a valid punishment in your nation's penal code?[/b]
[b]Is voting mandatory in your country's elections?[/b][/spoiler]
The Wastrecht Index of Political Franchise (WIF) divides countries into five different categories:
Universal Franchise: The countries in this category extend the right to vote or be voted for by election to any and all adult citizens of the country.
Countries that do not extend the right to citizenship to all people living in their nation but allow all "citizens" the right to vote do not fit in this category.
Countries with appointed offices where appointment into office does not have any criteria fit into this category if Active Franchise is extended to all adult citizens of the country.
Full Franchise: The countries in this category extend the right to vote or be voted for to all adult citizens, but put a different weight to their citizens' votes based on criteria such as wealth, knowledge, property, taxation, race, ethnicity, etc.
Limited Franchise: The countries in this category do not extend the right to vote or be voted for to all citizens. The criteria that limits franchise can be gender, race, wealth, property, or permanent criminal disenfranchisement.
No Franchise: The countries in this category refuse to recognize the right to representation for their citizenry. All political offices are appointed by The State, and the citizenry do not have the right to vote.
Compulsory Franchise: Citizens are by law required to vote in elections in the countries in this category.