Fun with Voting!

I love love love elections. Even though they tend to be corrupt, totally undemocratic, and deeply flawed in some way or another- well, they just give me the feel good goosebumps. Today, Togo and Iraq get it on.

Well, Hello Togo! You tiny-country-of-just 6.6 million! Today more than 500 observers from the AU, ECOWAS (The Economic Community of West African States) and the EU will be monitoring elections for a new head of state. So far things are looking peaceful as people take to voting between Faure Gnassingbe and um the opposition (there are 6 other candidates). Faure Gnassingbe is the current President and son of Papa Gnassingbe Eyadema who ruled Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. Papa G was the longest ruler of an African nation at the time of his death- what a telling little BONUS! Baby G was installed as leader right after his father died by the chief of Togolese army. People didn't like that (weird) so Baby G stepped down for two months until elections were held and SURPRISE!- he won. Some things are just meant to be. (Subtext if you didn't get it already: many believed these elections were not, you know, legitimate and the post-election violence led to hundreds of deaths of protesters by the military.)

Signs of a fair election are relatively strong and there is an independent electoral commission. However during a press conference on wednesday the head of said commission dropped the following bad boy "We must all keep in mind that our chosen candidate may or may not be the one chosen by the majority." That sounds suspiciously like the American electoral college, or other things that don't make democratic sense but we'll see.

Today also marks the early elections in Iraq. Actual election day is on March 7th, today gives those who will be working for security (members of the security forces and medical workers) a chance to vote. There are 6,200 candidates for 325 seats in the new Parliament. Which seems like too much of a good thing but I have a hard time making simple decisions so. The elected Parliament members than pick the Prime Minister. There's been a ton of run-up drama including the disqualification of about 500 candidates (they had "ties" to the now-illegal Baath Party, that would be good-ole Saddam's party). It was eventually overturned by the courts-they said they would deal with any issues of disqualifications after the elections, which seems like a really really terrible idea. A monumentally terrible idea in fact. Here and here are two pretty decent basic overviews of the elections. Here's a bit on the coalitions.

And now a toast. Let us all raise our champagne glasses to Togo and Iraq. May your elections be actual free and fair elections, may your people not feel obliged to protest in the streets due to election corruption, but still have the government sanctioned right to do so if they please! Cheers!

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Update: There's already been a series of bombings at polling stations killing at least 20 people. If you check out AlJaz they have a "Latest updates from Iraq" twitter feed where you are invited to refresh the page every ten seconds.