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An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission,^[1] a central^[2] or state election commission,^[3] or an election board,^[4] an electoral council^[5] or an electoral court.^[6] Election commissions can be independent, mixed, judicial or executive. They may also be responsible for electoral boundary delimitation. In federations there may be a separate body for each subnational government. An election commission has a duty to ensure elections are conducted in an orderly manner^{[according to whom?]}.

Electoral models

Independent model

In the independent model the election commission is independent of the executive and manages its own budget. Countries with an independent election commission include Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United Kingdom. In some of these countries the independence of the election commission is constitutionally

e.g. section 190 of the Constitution of South Africa.

Branch model

In the branch model the election commission is often called an electoral branch, and is usually a constitutionally-recognized separate branch of government, with its members appointed by either the executive or the legislative branch. Countries with an electoral branch include Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Mixed model

In the mixed-model there is an independent board to determine policy, but implementation is usually a matter for an executive department with varying degrees of supervision by the independent board. Countries with such a model include Cameroon, France, Germany, Japan, Senegal and Spain.

Executive model

In the executive model the election commission is directed by a cabinet minister as part of the executive branch of government, and may include local government authorities acting as agents of the central body. Countries with this model include Denmark, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia.

In the United States, elections for federal, state, and local offices are run by the executive branch of each state government.^[7]

Judicial model

In the judicial model the election commission is closely supervised by and ultimately responsible to a special "electoral court". Countries with such a model include Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

List of election commissions

Afghanistan
- Independent Election Commission (defunct since 2021)
- Election Complaints Commission (defunct since 2021)
Albania: Central Election Commission
Argentina
- Dirección Nacional Electoral
- Cámara Nacional Electoral
Australia: Australian Electoral Commission^[1]
- Australian Capital Territory: Electoral Commission
- New South Wales: Electoral Commission
- Northern Territory: Electoral Commission
- Queensland: Electoral Commission
- South Australia: Electoral Commission
- Tasmania: Electoral Commission
- Victoria: Electoral Commission
- Western Australia: Electoral Commission
Bangladesh: Election Commission
Barbados: Electoral and Boundaries Commission
Belarus: Central Election Commission
Belize: Elections and Boundaries Commission
Bolivia
- Plurinational Electoral Organ (since 2010)
- National Electoral Court (defunct since 2010)
Belgium: Federal Public Service Interior
Brazil: Superior Electoral Court^[6]
- Regional Electoral Courts
Cambodia: National Election Committee
Canada: Elections Canada
- Élections Québec
- Elections Alberta
- Elections BC
- Elections Manitoba
- Elections New Brunswick
- Elections Newfoundland & Labrador
- Elections Nova Scotia
- Elections Nunavut
- Elections NWT
- Elections Ontario
- Elections Prince Edward Island
- Elections Saskatchewan
- Elections Yukon
Chile: Electoral Service
China (excl. Hong Kong and Macau) Election Committees for Local People's Congress elections only
Colombia: National Electoral Council
Costa Rica: Supreme Electoral Court
Cuba: National Election Council [es]
Cyprus: Central Elections Office
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Independent National Electoral Commission
Ecuador
- National Electoral Council
- Electoral Contentious Tribunal [es]
Egypt: High Elections Committee
Ethiopia: National Election Board
Fiji: Electoral Commission
France: Constitutional Council
Germany: Federal Returning Officer
Ghana: Electoral Commission
Grenada: Parliamentary Elections Office
Guyana: Elections Commission
Haiti: Provisional Electoral Council
Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission
Iceland: National Electoral Commission
India: Election Commission
Indonesia: General Elections Commission
Iran: Guardian Council
Iraq: Independent High Electoral Commission
Ireland: Electoral Commission
Israel: Central Elections Committee
Italy: Central Directorate for Electoral Services
Jamaica: Electoral Commission of Jamaica
Japan: Central Election Management Council
Jordan: Independent Election Commission
Kazakhstan: Central Election Commission
Kenya
- Interim Independent Electoral Commission (since 2008)
- Electoral Commission (defunct since 2008)
Kosovo: Central Election Commission (Kosovo) [sq]
Laos: National Election Committee (Lao)
Liberia: National Elections Commission
Libya: High National Election Commission
Macau: Electoral Affairs Commission (Macau)
Malaysia: Election Commission
Malta: Electoral Commission^[8]
Mexico
- National Electoral Institute
- Federal Electoral Tribunal
Moldova: Central Election Commission
Myanmar Union Electoral Commission
Nepal: Election Commission
Netherlands: Electoral Council
New Zealand: Electoral Commission
Nicaragua: Supreme Electoral Council
Nigeria: Independent National Electoral Commission
North Korea: Central Election Committee (North Korea)^[9]
Northern Cyprus: High Electoral Board
Norway: Norwegian Directorate of Elections
Pakistan: Election Commission
Palestine: Central Elections Commission
Philippines: Commission on Elections
- Once a winner is proclaimed, only these tribunals can rule on election matters
  - Philippines: Presidential Electoral Tribunal (entirely composed of the Supreme Court)
  - Senate Electoral Tribunal
  - House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal
  - Regional Trial Courts for local officials
Poland: National Electoral Commission
Portugal: National Elections Commission (Portugal) [pt]
Puntland: Puntland Electoral Commission
Russia: Central Election Commission
Singapore: Elections Department
Slovenia: State Election Commission (Državna volilna komisija)
Somaliland: National Electoral Commission
South Africa: Independent Electoral Commission
South Korea: National Election Commission
Spain: Junta Electoral Central
Sri Lanka: Election Commission of Sri Lanka
Sweden: Election Authority
Taiwan: Central Election Commission
Tanzania: National Electoral Commission
Thailand: Election Commission
Tunisia: Independent High Authority for Elections
Turkey: Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey^[5]
Ukraine: Central Election Commission
United Kingdom: Electoral Commission
United States
- Election Assistance Commission, serves as a national clearinghouse and resource regarding election administration, establishes best practices, and provides financial aid to state electoral systems.
- Federal Election Commission, regulates campaign finance legislation
- Electoral Commission, a special commission for the 1876 presidential election
- Florida: Florida Election Commission
- Hawaii: Hawaii Elections Commission^[10]
- Illinois: Illinois State Board of Elections^[11]
- Maryland: Maryland State Board of Elections^[12]
- New York: New York State Board of Elections^[13]
- North Carolina: North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement^[14]
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma State Election Board^[4]
- Puerto Rico: State Elections Commission
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Election Commission^[3]
- Virginia: Virginia State Board of Elections^[15]
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Elections Commission^[16]
Uruguay: Electoral Court
Venezuela: National Electoral Council
Vietnam: National Election Council (Vietnam)
Zimbabwe: Electoral Commission

Election commissions in Africa

As of 2021, 53 out of 55 African nations (save for Eritrea and Somalia, which do not hold elections) use or have used election commissions to organize and supervise their elections. First introduced in the Sudan in 1957, election commissions were created across the continent especially after many African nations introduced a system of multi-party democracy in the early 1990s.^[17]

References

^ ^a ^b "Australian Electoral Commission". Retrieved December 15, 2018.
^ Alvarez-Rivera, Manuel. "Elections to the Latvian Saeima (Parliament)". Election Resources on the Internet. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Home". SC Votes - South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ ^a ^b "Oklahoma State Election Board". Retrieved December 15, 2018.
^ ^a ^b "YSK Web Portal". www.ysk.gov.tr. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ ^a ^b "Superior Electoral Court, Brazil (TSE)". Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
^ "About Us". Florida Division of Elections. Florida Department of State. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
^ "Electoral Commission of Malta Welcome to the portal of the Electoral Commission of Malta". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ "Report of Central Election Committee in DPRK Issued". dprktoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ "State of Hawaii Office of Elections". Elections Commission. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
^ "Board of Elections". Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2019-06-21. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
^ "Maryland State Board of Elections". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ "Board of Elections". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
^ "Home Page | NCSBE". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ "Virginia Department of Elections - Home". www.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ "Wisconsin Elections Commission". elections.wi.gov. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^ Marzin, Régis (2021). Les commissions électorales et le retour du multipartisme entre 1990 et 1994 en Afrique, Historique des commissions électorales de 1957 à 2021 (in French).