Stories about Elections from March, 2011
Nigeria: Reclaim Naija: Report election incidents
Reclaim Naija is a Nigerian Election Incident Reporting System. Citizens can report incidents by texting, calling, emailing, tweeting or filling out a form online.
Nigeria: Ruckus Over Presidential Debate
The Nigerian presidential debate has run into a major political rumpus with the reluctance of President Jonathan Goodluck to debate other presidential candidates. Nigerian bloggers react.
Macedonia: Census Postponed Till October
As anticipated, the Macedonian parliament adopted a new law on Wednesday, which postpones the Census [MKD]–originally scheduled for April–until October. Political leaders [MKD] have still not set the date for the early elections: May and June are rumored as the likeliest time right now.
Haiti: Aristide's Return “Something Big”?
Haitian bloggers discuss the return of former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide on the eve of the country's controversial election run-off.
Nigeria: Monitoring Elections Using ReVoDa
Monitoring Nigerian General Elections (2011) using ReVoDa Mobile Apps: “ReVoDa allows voters to report as independent citizen observers from their respective Polling Units across Nigeria, having registered to map their mobile number, name and polling unit number to specific locations.”
Haiti: Winds of Change?
“It is not contentment that changes a nation, or a culture, or the history of the world; it is dissatisfaction with the status quo”: Throwing Down the Water thinks that change just might be possible.
Haiti: Aristide's Return
“Many believe that he still has the power to control the masses and disturb the current electoral process”: From New York City to Haiti thinks that “things just got a bit interesting.”
Haiti: Election Violence Escalates
Election-related violence in Haiti appears to be escalating. As Haitian presidential candidate and legal scholar Mirlande Manigat set out to begin a campaign rally in Mirebalais yesterday, her convoy was stoned by alleged supporters of opponent Michel Martelly, leading to a scuffle that resulted in gunshots and wounds.
Russia: Reaching Out to the President
Many projects have been recently created in Russia on the basis of crowdsourcing (or user-generated content (UGC)), when information on any particular topic is collected by internet users. Almost each one of these projects signalizes about a problem. Marina Litvinovich analyzed them and proposed a thesis that the success of these projects depends on their ability to establish their contact with the officials.
Peru: Civic-Mindedness During Election Year
Global Voices author and translator Gabriela García Calderón blogs [es] about civic-mindedness during this year's presidential elections in Peru. She argues that voting and working at polling stations shouldn't be considered a burden, but rather a way to fulfill a civic duty and play an active role in improving the...
Nigeria: StandUp Naija 2011
StandUp Naija, a project run by The Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), is a series of videos highlighting the expectations of average Nigerians along with policy areas the 2011 elections should address.
Thailand: Who will dominate this year's elections?
Dan Waites, writing for Siam Voices, analyzes the chances of Thailand's political parties which will participate in this year's elections
Haiti: To Vote or Not To Vote
Throwing Down the Water says that the outcome of the Haitian election will be decided by which sections of the population vote and which stay home.
Senegal: March 19, National Day of Action
The winds of revolt are blowing across the Maghreb and the Middle East. Political opponents in Senegal are also getting in on the action by expressing their discontent at their government's misguided ways. March 19, 2011, has been chosen as the date to organize demonstrations in the country.
Russia: Election monitors harassed
Putin Watcher reports on the threats, harassment, arrests, and beatings election monitors from the organization Golos have received while monitoring the recent regional elections in Russia.
Belarus: Presidential candidate disappears
Bloggers in Belarus discuss the disappearance of former presidential candidate Ales Mikhalevich. LJ user illdoctor fears [RUS] that he is the latest victim of the Lukashenko regime, and LJ user senseisekai thinks [RUS] he is either on the run from the KGB or has fled abroad.
Peru: Presidential Candidates on Internet Access
Antonio Rodriguez Lobatón at Blawyer [es] summarizes what several presidential candidates have presented as their plans for information technology and telecommunications. Most focus on giving Internet access to more citizens.
Haiti: Election Threats
The long-awaited Haitian election is finally scheduled to take place on March 20; the most recent political controversy involves presidential candidate Michel Martelly's threats to the media, accompanied by general references to grabbing power via “the streets”. Netizens are keeping a close check on developments…
Nigeria: Vote for “Umblerra”
Nigerian First Lady asks Nigerians to vote for “umblerra”: “An audio recording has emerged of Mrs Jonathan speaking at a rally of the ruling party. She was “trying to persuade her listeners to vote for the ‘Umbrella’, the unmistakable symbol of the Peoples’ Democratic Party.”
Cape Verde: Country's Development in a Year of Elections
Cape Verdeans headed to the polls to vote for members of Parliament on February 6. Global Voices recaps on how bloggers perceived the event, considering social issues to face, and how citizens envision their country's development.
Nigeria: Nigeria Votes 2011
Myweku.com speaks with Bayo Lambo about his new site, NigeriaVotes2011: “It’s a website and platform where potential voters and the curious alike can visit to view, research and indeed review all the candidates running for office in the 2011 elections.”
