The Ethiopian government has detailed citizens' rights in democratic electoral processes under Article 38 of the constitution. These rights include non-discriminatory voting and candidacy, secret ballots, and participation in elections. Citizens bear responsibilities to ensure fair and accountable voting through active involvement.
The Ethiopian constitution, under Article 38, details additional rights for citizens in democratic electoral processes. The primary right ensures that any Ethiopian citizen can vote and run for office without discrimination based on color, race, gender, ethnicity, origin, language, religion, politics, or other views. This right guarantees the ability to vote secretly regardless of residence in any part of the country due to specified reasons.
Furthermore, the right to vote and be elected affirms the secret ballot in choosing a party or candidate. It provides the necessary local and technical conditions for casting votes secretly and independently on the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. Under Article 38(1)(a), citizens have the right to participate in the conduct of public affairs through freely elected representatives. In other words, the people have the right to govern themselves through their elected representatives.
Beyond voting and candidacy, citizens have numerous accountability mechanisms they can employ through participation and candidacy. Among these, serving as election observers and poll workers are the main ones. Therefore, citizens, recognizing that elections concern their livelihood in one way or another, are required not only to cast minimal votes but to fulfill their responsibilities to ensure genuine and accountable elections proceed.
