Grassroots democracy

Close relatives of the candidates should not be appointed as scrutineers or as vote counters. And a citizen cannot serve as the deputy to the people's congress for more than two administrative regions without subordinate relations.

Fourth, the relations between candidates and voters will be much closer than before. The revised Election Law emphasizes publicizing the candidates' basic information and a self-introduction. Candidates should accurately provide basic details such as personal information and a resume to the election committee or the presidium of the people's congress.

The deputies to the people's congress at the township and county levels are to be elected directly by the voters, but the candidates must be nominated by voters of the electoral districts, various political parties or people's organizations.

After gathering all the data, the election committee should release the list of candidates and their basic information 15 days before the election day, and submit the data to a voters' group in various electoral districts to discuss, negotiate and finally determine the list of official candidates.

And the list of official candidates and their basic information should be released seven days before the day of the election. Then the presidium of the people's congress at the county level and above will print and distribute the data to all the representatives to discuss.

The election committee should arrange for the official candidates to meet the voters at the request of voters. The candidates should introduce themselves and answer questions. The candidate's self-introduction should not be made on the day of the election.

Fifth, the right to vote of the electors will be better guaranteed. The election of the people's congress will be held strictly in accordance with legal procedures and accept supervision. Any organization or individual should not obstruct voters and deputies from freely exercising their right to vote in any form.

Once the election organizations find any behavior that undermines the election, or receive reports about such behavior, they should investigate and handle it in a timely manner according to the law.

The new law also guarantees the right to vote of the floating population of around 200 million, although the registration of these voters and their casting of ballots will pose a challenge.

The author is a professor of Peking University Law School.

(China Daily 05/19/2011 page8)