3.0 Introduction

In democratic political systems, the right to vote is one of the more fundamental democratic rights. If voters are to elect their representative in some type of responsible government, then participation in those elections must be broad enough to convey legitimacy to the elected government. For example, in a system where only ten percent of the population chooses a leader, they might be seen as illegitimate by the remaining 90%. Mass participation through voting is a way of ensuring the legitimacy of the elected leadership. The leaders are, ostensibly, accountable to members of the political community through the electoral process. However, as a precondition for holding democratic elections, a determination must be made about who is able to vote. This right to vote is known as the franchise.