News / Local
Things that may be banned in preparation for elections
04 Jun 2018 at 05:58hrs | Views
Image: Pixabay.com
There are various things or activities considered prohibited when an election season comes. In light of the upcoming Zimbabwe presidential elections, bans may be recommended to ensure that violence is avoided and other possible problems are averted.
It's difficult to find a comprehensive list of things that are officially banned for the elections in the country. However, based on best practices in other parts of the world, the following are expected to be prohibited.
Gambling Ban
The United States bans gambling during an election. The same can be observed in Zimbabwe. The ban stems from the liberal harm principle, which is basically a precautionary thought aimed at preventing the commodification of elections. This is particularly because many tend to bet on the results of elections. Some view it as a mockery of elections. However, many betting sites or online casinos don't actually facilitate betting on election results. Pala Casino, for example, is mostly about online casino games so perhaps only certain types of gambling may be prohibited.
Gun Bans
Gun bans are common during elections worldwide. The reason is obvious. It's to prevent violence from erupting. Many politicians maintain their own security force, or what can be regarded as private armies in certain cases. Allowing ordinary citizens to carry guns, especially candidates and their bodyguards, can easily result in gunfights. Allowing candidates to maintain a group of armed men for their "security" can easily lead to violent or even deadly elections.
The armed forces and police forces of a country are generally the ones responsible for the execution of the gun ban. Checkpoints are usually set up to make sure that the ban is strictly implemented. Exemptions may be made but these need to follow strict rules and scrutiny. Government authorities will have to ascertain that a real threat exists before allowing anyone to carry arms.
Appointment Bans
Another ban that sensibly has to be implemented during elections is the ban on appointments by public officials. Appointments can be used as leverage for campaigning. This can be advantageous to incumbent public officials. They can appoint new personnel into important positions to help build their clout. The power to appoint new personnel can be used in exchange for votes or in exchange for the support of a block of voters. As such, it makes great sense preventing officials from making appointments regardless of the level of the position involved.
Elections in Zimbabwe are far from perfect but are not necessarily the worst in the world. It would greatly help, though, if certain bans are implemented in the city with regards to the upcoming elections. As explained earlier, having a gun ban can be a sensible idea as it considerably reduces the possibility of violence. Appointment bans, on the other hand, help prevent the abuse of power of incumbent public officials. The power to appoint can be a very potent tool for influencing voters. Gambling bans, however, may not be that necessary.
It's difficult to find a comprehensive list of things that are officially banned for the elections in the country. However, based on best practices in other parts of the world, the following are expected to be prohibited.
Gambling Ban
The United States bans gambling during an election. The same can be observed in Zimbabwe. The ban stems from the liberal harm principle, which is basically a precautionary thought aimed at preventing the commodification of elections. This is particularly because many tend to bet on the results of elections. Some view it as a mockery of elections. However, many betting sites or online casinos don't actually facilitate betting on election results. Pala Casino, for example, is mostly about online casino games so perhaps only certain types of gambling may be prohibited.
Gun Bans
Gun bans are common during elections worldwide. The reason is obvious. It's to prevent violence from erupting. Many politicians maintain their own security force, or what can be regarded as private armies in certain cases. Allowing ordinary citizens to carry guns, especially candidates and their bodyguards, can easily result in gunfights. Allowing candidates to maintain a group of armed men for their "security" can easily lead to violent or even deadly elections.
The armed forces and police forces of a country are generally the ones responsible for the execution of the gun ban. Checkpoints are usually set up to make sure that the ban is strictly implemented. Exemptions may be made but these need to follow strict rules and scrutiny. Government authorities will have to ascertain that a real threat exists before allowing anyone to carry arms.
Appointment Bans
Another ban that sensibly has to be implemented during elections is the ban on appointments by public officials. Appointments can be used as leverage for campaigning. This can be advantageous to incumbent public officials. They can appoint new personnel into important positions to help build their clout. The power to appoint new personnel can be used in exchange for votes or in exchange for the support of a block of voters. As such, it makes great sense preventing officials from making appointments regardless of the level of the position involved.
Elections in Zimbabwe are far from perfect but are not necessarily the worst in the world. It would greatly help, though, if certain bans are implemented in the city with regards to the upcoming elections. As explained earlier, having a gun ban can be a sensible idea as it considerably reduces the possibility of violence. Appointment bans, on the other hand, help prevent the abuse of power of incumbent public officials. The power to appoint can be a very potent tool for influencing voters. Gambling bans, however, may not be that necessary.
Source - Agencies