Global Ethics Corner: When Are Elections Legitimate?

Jun 19, 2009

When are elections legitimate? What about Iran? Elections assume that losers accept results. Because many disagree, can they overturn an election? Should we believe authorities that declare elections valid?

When are elections legitimate? What about Iran?

Because many disagree, can they overturn an election? Should we believe an authority that declares an election valid?

In 1876, Hayes not Tilden, and in 2000, Bush not Gore, became Presidents in questionable circumstances. Controversy was extensive. However, both governed legitimately.

The 2002 Algerian election, won by the Islamist, National Liberation Front, was quickly overturned by the military under the belief that the Front was committed to "one person, one vote, only one time."

The 2008 Minnesota Senatorial contest may take a year to resolve. How?

Legitimacy rests on two interrelated ideas. One is transparency. Florida had legions from both sides looking at every hanging chad on every punched ballot. Openness is key to transforming autocratic decisions into legitimate results.

Another is process. A process must be agreed to by the players and perceived as fair through all four stages: candidate selection, campaign, voting, and appeals.

From outside, neither openness nor redress seems to apply in Iran.

What do you think? Should the Iranian losers reject the outcome? Did they lose? Is the Iranian election legitimate?

By William Vocke

To post a comment, go to the Global Ethics Corner slideshow.

You may also like

MAR 2, 2022 Podcast

The Doorstep: Can Putin Be Stopped? with Atlantic Council's Melinda Haring

Atlantic Council's Ukraine expert Melinda Haring joins "Doorstep" co-hosts Nick Gvosdev and Tatiana Serafin to discuss where we are one week after Russian President Vladimir ...

SEP 7, 2021 Podcast

Protests in Perspective: Racial Justice & Democracy in 2021, with Adom Getachew

One year after the global protests in response to the murder of George Floyd, where are we in terms of racial justice? In this podcast, ...

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. being sworn in as 46th president of the United States, January 20, 2021. <br>CREDIT: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Biden_taking_oath_of_office_(cropped).png">Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies/Public Domain</a>

JAN 21, 2021 Article

Revisiting the Ethical Calculus: Which Obligations Take Precedence?

In President Joe Biden's first day in office, he signed executive orders returning the United States to the Paris climate accords and took steps to ...

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation