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Article 3 of the First Protocol: Right to Free Elections
The High Contracting Parties undertake to hold free elections at reasonable intervals by secret ballot, under conditions which will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people in the choice of the legislature.
Article 3 of the First Protocol says that there must be elections at reasonable intervals and that elections must be by secret ballot. It gives people the right to vote or to stand in elections, although reasonable restrictions may be put on this right. The ECtHR (in Hirst v UK [2004]) has held that the law whichimposes a blanket prohibtion on all prisoners in the UK from voting in elections breaches the prisoners' rights under Article 3 of the First Protocol. However, the UK has still not rectified the situation.
Article 3 of the First Protocol does not say what method of election should be used.
Relevant sections:
Article 3 of the First Protocol says that there must be elections at reasonable intervals and that elections must be by secret ballot. It gives people the right to vote or to stand in elections, although reasonable restrictions may be put on this right. The ECtHR (in Hirst v UK [2004]) has held that the law whichimposes a blanket prohibtion on all prisoners in the UK from voting in elections breaches the prisoners' rights under Article 3 of the First Protocol. However, the UK has still not rectified the situation.
Article 3 of the First Protocol does not say what method of election should be used.
Relevant sections:
