The electoral commission : roles, powers and functions

Abstract

The main aim of this thesis is that of analysing the roles, powers and functions of the Maltese Electoral Commission and its position as an Electoral Management Body in the local electoral context. Electoral administration may not, however be analysed in isolation from the electoral process as a whole. For this reason the thesis is divided into two parts, the first providing a general approach to electoral systems, and the second providing an in depth analysis of the role of Electoral Management Bodies and the Maltese Electoral Commission. Part I of the thesis features two chapters which deal with the concept of elections, the electoral process, and the Maltese electoral system. Chapter One highlights the essential nature of elections in a democratic state and refers to the characteristics of free and fair elections. It outlines the various types of formulae found in different electoral systems, their advantages and problems, and the aims common to all electoral systems. Chapter Two focuses on the local electoral scenario and provides an analysis of the Maltese electoral system, its development through the years, and its salient features. Part II of the thesis examines the central role of Electoral Management Bodies and their importance within any electoral system. Chapter Three highlights their most essential features, their different variants, and their guiding values. Chapter Four is totally devoted to the position of the Maltese Electoral Commission in the local electoral process and provides an in depth analysis of its most important roles. This section analyses the legal framework upon which the Commission is based, its composition and method of appointment, its roles in the registration of voters and the review of electoral boundaries, and its relationship with political parties. Finally Chapter 5 provides a number of possible recommendations to further enhance the role of the Electoral Commission and the electoral system as a whole.