Elections in the Marshall Islands
Encyclopedia
Elections in Marshall Islands gives information on election
and election results in Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands elects on national level a head of state
- the president
- and a legislature
. The president is elected for a four year term by the parliament. The Legislature
(Nitijela) has 33 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The Legislature was last elected 17 November 2003 without the participation of parties, though part of the members could be members of the United Democratic Party. The Marshall Islands is a state in which political parties
have not been active.
There have been a number of local and national elections since the Republic of the Marshall Islands was founded. The United Democratic Party, running on a reform platform, won the 1999 parliamentary election, taking control of the presidency and cabinet. The new government has publicly confirmed its commitment to an independent judiciary.
The first two presidents were chiefs. Kessai Note is a commoner.
) and the United Democratic Party
(UDP) (Litokwa Tomeing
).
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
and election results in Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands elects on national level a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected for a four year term by the parliament. The Legislature
Legislature of the Marshall Islands
The Legislature of the Marshall Islands has 33 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies...
(Nitijela) has 33 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The Legislature was last elected 17 November 2003 without the participation of parties, though part of the members could be members of the United Democratic Party. The Marshall Islands is a state in which political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
have not been active.
There have been a number of local and national elections since the Republic of the Marshall Islands was founded. The United Democratic Party, running on a reform platform, won the 1999 parliamentary election, taking control of the presidency and cabinet. The new government has publicly confirmed its commitment to an independent judiciary.
The first two presidents were chiefs. Kessai Note is a commoner.
Political parties
Traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party (Imata KabuaImata Kabua
Imata Kabua was President of the Marshall Islands from 14 January 1997 to 10 January 2000. He became the Iroijlaplap of Kwajalein after the death of Amata Kabua.-References:* . Rulers.org. Accessed 2011-02-01....
) and the United Democratic Party
United Democratic Party (Marshall Islands)
The United Democratic Party is a political party in the Marshall Islands. At the last legislative elections, 17 November 2003, no parties participated, though part of the members could be members of either the Kabua Party or the United Democratic Party....
(UDP) (Litokwa Tomeing
Litokwa Tomeing
Iroij Litokwa Tomeing was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009.-Early and personal life:Litokwa Tomeing was born on Wotje Atoll, in the Japanese administered Marshall Islands, on October 14, 1939...
).
See also
- Government of the Marshall IslandsGovernment of the Marshall IslandsThe government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary-presidential system as set forth in its Constitution. Elections are held every four years in universal suffrage , with each of the twenty-four constituencies electing one or more representatives to the lower house of...
- Politics of the Marshall IslandsPolitics of the Marshall IslandsCitizens of the Marshall Islands live with a relatively new democratic political system combined with a hierarchical traditional culture.There have been some incidents of human rights concern, however, such as undue government pressure on the judiciary and the press.The territorial claim by the...
- List of Presidents of the Marshall Islands
- Electoral calendar
- Electoral system