participation
Voting
How is it Supposed to Be:
In China, all citizens of the People's Republic of China have the right to vote and stand for election, if 18 years old. Any one who meets this requirement can vote, regardless of:
The only people who cannot vote and stand for election are those who are, according to law, deprived of their political rights.
The following situations still give people the right to vote:
Voters can vote in four ways:
Doesn't all of that sound similar to the United States? Wonderful. Except not really.
The Reality of the People's Voting
Even though everyone in China has the right to vote... they don't REALLY.
One might wonder, "If the people of China cannot vote, then who elects the delegates to the National People's Congress?" The choice is basically left to high level leaders, after each grassroots unit puts forward prescreened candidates. Someone who is 18 does not actually vote. This is because the government already feels they are represented. The National People's Congress delegates and Chinese people's Political Consultative Conference members vote for the Chinese people, as their representatives.
Due to this, the voter turnout and people's participation in politics is very low.
In China, all citizens of the People's Republic of China have the right to vote and stand for election, if 18 years old. Any one who meets this requirement can vote, regardless of:
- Ethnic Background
- Race
- Sex
- Occupation
- Family Background
- Religious Belief
- Education Level
- Property Status or
- Length of Residence
The only people who cannot vote and stand for election are those who are, according to law, deprived of their political rights.
The following situations still give people the right to vote:
- Those who have been convicted to prison terms have not been stripped of their political rights
- Those who are in custody, under investigation, being charged and tried, but the procuratorate or the court has not decided to suspend their rights of election
- Those who are in residences under surveillance, or on bail
- Those who are being reeducated through labor and
- Those who have been punished with detention
Voters can vote in four ways:
- Vote for a candidate
- Vote against a candidate
- Vote for someone else or
- Abstain
Doesn't all of that sound similar to the United States? Wonderful. Except not really.
The Reality of the People's Voting
Even though everyone in China has the right to vote... they don't REALLY.
One might wonder, "If the people of China cannot vote, then who elects the delegates to the National People's Congress?" The choice is basically left to high level leaders, after each grassroots unit puts forward prescreened candidates. Someone who is 18 does not actually vote. This is because the government already feels they are represented. The National People's Congress delegates and Chinese people's Political Consultative Conference members vote for the Chinese people, as their representatives.
Due to this, the voter turnout and people's participation in politics is very low.