Stories about Elections from December, 2007
Thailand: Mapping Election Results
Chris Baker at the New Mandala blog has a graphic that shows the distribution of results from the recent Thai elections.
Pakistan: Reactions to Bhutto's death
Benazir Bhutto's death has come as a shock to many of the bloggers writing from and about Pakistan. While Bhutto's politics may be controversial, her assasinaton comes at a time when it was hoped that Pakistan could overcome the years of lapse of democracy. At Metroblogging Islamabad, the post provokes...
Kenya: Using new technology to cover elections
White African looks at the use of technology in Kenya Election 2007: “I’ve been particularly impressed with the AfricaNews.com media group. They use technology in innovative ways, creating real usable systems to report and connect with Africans on multiple platforms.”
Kenya: Problems at polling stations
You Missed This writes about problems at polling stations in Kenya: “Shock as Thousands of Names, including that of Raila Odinga, are found missing on ECK Register! There was heightened tension this morning when thousands of voters were turned away at various polling stations in Langata constituency after their names...
Kenya: Kenya's maturing democracy
Mental Acrobatics on Kenya Election 2007: “Despite the political heat there are many signs that we are a rapidly maturing democracy. I have seen people from across the political divide sit and debate the merits and demerits of their candidates vigorously but without the traditional violence.”
Kenya: Blogging the election
Kenyan blogger, Kenyan Pundit, writes her observations of the election day: ‘Ballot papers were not on site like they are supposed to be. They only got delivered at 8:00 am, leading to lots of agitation among the crowd that had turned up early to vote. The crowd finally broke the...
Kyrgyzstan: Election Results Still Unknown
The Azamat Report says that 10 days after the election day nobody has seen the results. The Central Election Commission has not published the official results of the parliamentary vote in Kyrgyzstan, although it already distributed all the seats.
Barbados: Campaign Financing
Barbados Underground blogs about political campaign financing.
Armenia: Corrupt Politics
Martuni or Bust reminds it readers that the former judge now turned radical opposition activist as the February 2008 presidential election in Armenia draws closer has a few skeletons in his own closet. In particular, the blog quotes an interview conducted with this author on concerns that the judge in...
Slovenia: Janez Drnovšek's Legacy
Sleeping With Pengovsky writes about the political legacy of Slovenia's ex-president Janez Drnovšek.
Georgia: Opinion Polls
With the presidential election in Georgia two weeks away, Social Science in the Caucasus, looks at the reliability of opinion polls in the country. The blog says that opinion polls from every side are confusing the electorate and there is an urgent need for transparency.
Georgia: Sycophantic Poetry
Writing on his blog, This is Tbilisi Calling, the BBC's Matthew Collin recounts following Georgian president's motorcade around the country as part of his campaign for re-election in January's vote. The journalist and blogger reproduces a poem written especially for Mikhail Saakashvili by one elderly voter discovered en route.
Armenia: Campaign Politics
With the presidential election in Armenia less than two months away, The Armenian Observer is impressed by how seriously one candidate is taking campaigning for the vote.
Czech Republic: Vaclav Klaus Refuses to Debate
“President Vaclav Klaus refused to meet in a televised debate with his only opponent for the 2008 elections – Jan Svejnar,” the Czech Daily Word reports.
Barbados: X Marks the Season?
“Who will be coming down your chimney and bringing you gifts this year? Not Santa Claus: the politicians!”: Boyce Voice wishes all Barbadians an election campaign Christmas.
Barbados: Electoral System
Barbados Underground discusses the island's electoral system.
Georgia: Election Pressures
TOL Georgia reports on allegations that students are being coerced into publicly supporting the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili, ahead of January's vote. According to a personal source, students are allegedly being threatened with expulsion from their colleges if they do not comply.
Uzbekistan: Election Shocker
Joshua Foust says that unsurprisingly Islam Karimov won the 90% turnout vote, even though it’s not been fully counted yet.
Georgia: Analysts, Oligarchs & Russians
TOL Georgia comments on a recent analysis by analyst Vladimir Socor criticizing opposition presidential candidate and businessman, Badri Patarkatsishvili. The blog believes that Socor is incorrect in his assessment and has overlooked serious concerns that the January presidential election in Georgia will not be free and fair.
Thailand: Party Supporting Thaksin Leads Thai Elections
Bloggers in Thailand and abroad are analyzing the results of Thai elections where the party supporting the former Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra has emerged as the leading candidate for running the country.
Barbados: Election Date
“For most Barbadians who have not become completely apathetic, this general election will be one of the most interesting since Independence in 1966″: Barbados Underground reports that the island's Prime Minister has set a date for elections.