Methodology

Methodology

This database provides an overview of case decisions governing Special Voting Arrangements (SVAs) from countries around the world.

Cases and case categories have been chosen to illustrate some of the common roles that courts and other tribunals at the sub-national, national, or international level may play in the governance of SVAs as part of an overall electoral legal framework.

Some of the common purposes that decisions fulfill include the following: 

Methodology

This tool allows interactive exploring of all global(*) data presented on the Special Voting Arrangements page

Choose the SVAs of your interest from the drop down menu on the top right of the chart and see which countries are using the selected SVAs

The questionnaire is a guide to drive, focus and target the collection of structured information for analysis.

Each of the nine guiding questions results from the intersection between a democratic principle and a stage of the policy process.

How [principle] is the [duty bearer] to the [claim holder/s] for the [duty at policy stage]?

Each guiding question is then broken down into four issues. The issues to look for section provides further guidance on the specific aspects an assessor needs to investigate.

The questionnaire is a guide to drive, focus and target the collection of structured information for analysis.

The framework is focused not only on identifying problems or gaps in accountability but also on how these can be overcome. In order to devise possible actions leading towards reform, the assessment process needs to demonstrate a number of characteristics that allow a locally owned process to take place. More specifically, the framework is designed to be:

People expect their governments to deliver public services in an efficient manner that meets their needs and recognizes their human rights. People expect to be able to raise their concerns and to be listened to. This guide enables its users to assess the degree to which public service delivery is subject to democratic accountability checks and, based on that knowledge, identify areas of concrete action for improvement.

The State of Local Democracy Assessment Framework places citizens at the forefront of the democracy assessment process, with the aim of supporting home-grown policy initiatives and internally driven reform agendas. It is therefore a two-dimensional process, which combines research with inclusive dialogue and debate. It is intended to be as much an exercise in assessing the quality of democracy as an opportunity for citizens to further develop and deepen their local democracies.