Political Parties And Candidates's Role In The Voting Process

Political parties and candidates are key stakeholders in the election cycle. Candidates standing for office are affiliated with political parties which both define a candidate’s ideology and policy position while reflecting a list of issues with which the electorate can identify based upon a political party platform as mirrored in the candidate’s election promises to the public. Candidates as individuals represent a party platform and with the help and support of their affiliated party apparatus, they compete for public office, carry out election campaigns, and try to convince voting citizens to cast their ballot for them. Ultimately, the ability to openly campaign, receive credible public support through the voting process, assume public office, or form a credible opposition once in government depends on the legal, political, and cultural environment in the country, and on the administration, outcome, and public acceptance of the election results. Additionally, public acceptance of the outcome must be followed by final validation of the election result by political parties and their respective candidates. If both the voting public and political party candidates do not accept election results due to real or perceived electoral …show more content…
The illegal practices of vote-buying or illegitimate party finance, the proliferation of defamation and hate speech in campaigns, voter intimidation by party workers, corruption in election-related decision-making, and the systematic exclusion of certain sectors of society constitute examples of where political parties threaten the functioning of democratic systems rather than support it. Laws and regulations regarding campaigning, funding, and functioning of political parties are developed to minimize the potential disruptive influence of political parties while still allowing them enough freedom to contest