The French voted today. It was interesting to see another perspective on democracy. Here's what I saw:
A year or so before the elections, potential candidates gather signatures to be officially considered on the national ballots. Each political party seems to privately decide on who will represent them, Sarkozy for instance is the president of his political party, the UMP. Once someone has over (1000?) signatures, they can be an official candidate. There is no limit to how many candidates may run.
Before the official race has begun, candidates try to get as much media coverage by slyly appearing on talk shows, making public speeches and appearances. Having good contacts seems to be the best way to edge your way onto TV.
Once the official race has begun each candidate gets exactly (one hour?) (with no commercials or pauses) as a guest on an official news program. The candidates are asked questions, and as soon as the question has been posed, a giant clock on a screen behind the candidate counts the seconds of their response, and stops with them, so that the cumulative total of their response time on national TV is one hour. Each night of the week a different candidate appears on the show.
In the first round of the election, anyone may vote for any candidate they wish. If any one candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, they are the next president. If not, the two candidates with the highest percentages face eachother two weeks later in the runoff final.
Two weeks before the first round, all registered voters (at age 18 all citizens receive their voter registration card automatically) receive a letter instructing them where to vote (at the town hall, civic center or public school). Enclosed with the letter is one publicity flier for each of the official candidates, same size, each styled with the candidates photo, typeface and personal message. Lage posters are also put up outside polling stations from two weeks before the elections - one for each candidate, same size, right next to eachother in a row. I assume privately funded publicity is not allowed, as I did not see one commercial or poster advertising a candidate.
The day of the election is a Sunday, so practically no one has to worry about missing work to vote. Polling stations are generally open from 8am to 6pm. Outside the voting place I saw no additional posters or fliers, and no person talking to voters as they entered. I also saw no police.
Once inside, voters go to a table where a pile of small note card sized papers stands for each candidate. Each paper simply has the name of the candidate printed largely in the middle. Voters may take one from each pile (or just the one they want if they don't care about others seeing who they vote for) and a small blue envelope. They then proceed to a curtained booth where they put the paper with the name of their chosen candidate in the envelope. A single paper on the wall of the booth warns that tampering with the name, adding remarks or anything, will result in the vote not being counted.
After sealing the envelope, voters exit the booth, throw away any extra papers in a trash can, and wait in line with their sealed envelope. They show two voting monitors a photo ID card, their name is checked in the register, their voter registration card is stamped with the date to prove they voted in this election, and they drop their envelope into a large clear plexiglass box. The mayor of Rambouillet was monitoring this box himself, and smiled a photogenic smile as C's blue envelope went in. Then someone announced "has voted!", and the voter may leave.
So each envelope must be opened by hand and each paper sorted. There is no record (besides fingerprints or DNA) on the envelope or paper to hint at who voted. Electronic voting machines are rumored to be in some more urban voting places already this year, although many are protesting.
By 7pm this evening, the preliminary results were announced. Sarkozy will face Royale in the runoff in two weeks. I'll bet it'll be a close race.
Banner Caption: Imagine the France of the Future
(Many fear that a Sarkozy presidency will result in a police surveillance state, as supported by this image of officers outside his party headquarters.)
