The election campaign is one of the stages of the election process, it involves the official registration and nomination of candidates (candidates), their election campaign, aimed at familiarizing voters with their platforms and programs, personality. Based on the foregoing, the population makes a choice.
The election campaign begins after the appointment of the election date, the formation of electoral districts, the creation of commissions, as well as the refinement of the list of participating voters. The subsequent stages include the voting process itself, the calculation of all votes, the determination of the results. The totality of all stages of the electoral process is called the electoral system. Moreover, each stage is rather strictly regulated by the relevant legislation.
The pre-election phase includes the struggle of competing candidates for the vote by clarifying the merits of their programs. For these purposes, the media are used, meetings are held with voters, sociological polls, and other election campaign technologies are used.
The average duration of the pre-election stage is from three weeks to a month. However, in some states this phase continues more. The start date of the pre-election stage depends on the date of the election (election day). In some cases, it is defined by law once and for all, in others - the date of voting is set by parliament or the head of state. An election campaign usually ends a day before election day.
In the legislation of most states, the nomination of applicants is based on the principle of free nomination. The process is subject to a minimum of formal requirements. So, in the case of self-nomination, support for the applicant by a large number of voters in the district is required (no more than 30); if a group of voters nominates a candidate, then its number should be several hundred people, etc.
As a general rule, the election law does not interfere with relations within parties.
As a condition for registration of an applicant in many countries, an election pledge is accepted. If the candidate was unable to collect a certain minimum number of votes by law, the security deposit is not refundable. It should be noted that usually its amount is relatively small.
Alternative elections are designed to ensure freedom in the nomination of applicants. To some extent, this goal is being achieved. However, in general, the nomination of candidates is a process monopolized by political parties . This is evidenced by a very small number of self-nominated candidates (independent applicants) in the parliaments of many states.
Unlike the registration and nomination process, election campaigning is a process subject to more severe legislative restrictions. The election campaign at this stage is regulated in order to prevent pressure on voters, their bribery, misrepresentation, etc. In addition, in this way all applicants become equal conditions for the struggle. Along with this “equality” neutrality (non-interference of officials, the state apparatus in the course of the struggle) and loyalty (the applicant with his team should not use rumors and other falsifications) are considered as inalienable rules of campaigning. The election campaign strategy implies the right of the voter to verify the fact of putting him on the list of voters, to appeal to the court in case of violation of his rights.
It should be noted that the shortcomings of pre-election “races” are often the result of insufficient perfection of election legislation. There are abuses in the nomination process when collecting the required number of signatures, in addition, the voter can not always get enough information on the composition of party lists and other things.