Why are elections considered crucial in all countries, whether governed by democratic principles or authoritarian rule?

To impose order and discipline, leaders must be viewed as the right choice of the population of any country through elections. The electoral process serves as a mechanism to legitimize the authority of the elected to govern and allows society to function in a structured way. 

Elections probably started in biblical times.

When Adam and Eve obeyed God’s command to go forth and multiply, they did not imagine that they would be populating Planet Earth’s seven continents with more than eight billion people after more than six thousand years.

When they were just a couple, decisions on any matter were simple and easy, as there were only two divergent views on any issue that was easily resolved with Eve’s point of view prevailing most of the time.

But with eight billion people, community leaders were confronted with polarizing and multi-dimensional issues that became complicated, conflicted and difficult to solve without a clear mandate from their constituents. Thus, elections — free or otherwise — were necessary to secure such authority from the governed. Elections emerged as both a solution and a problem.

Different people from different countries with different cultures refined elections in different ways, ranging from real or sham, peaceful, bitter, violent, divisive, contrived and scripted.

In the Philippines, elections were held even before the Spanish colonizers came until they sold the country to America for $20 million in 1898, or more than three hundred years later. 

Back then, elections were held in different municipalities, albeit controlled and managed by the central authorities. 

Before the American period, Emilio Aguinaldo of Cavite was the first elected Philippine president after a tumultuous election marred by reported cheating and intimidation that eventually led to the killing of the Bonifacio brothers, celebrated heroes and founders of the Katipunan.

A succession of 17 Philippine presidents from Emilio Aguinaldo in 1899 to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022 followed as elections were held periodically with almost the same confused and unflattering stories almost similar to the Aguinaldo regime.

Charges and counter-charges of cheating followed every election but the nation remained whole as it followed the rule of law in settling election disputes.

In the recent automated midterm elections for national and local officials, the winners were known a few days after the closing of the voting precincts unlike in the manual counting which took 40 days in 2004.

As usual some candidates claimed they were cheated. But the political circus continues until the next election with the “cheated” politicians throwing their hats into the political arena again and again with the same hope like gamblers in a casino.

Free countries have no choice but to hold a periodic election that is messy, unpredictable and seemingly divisive to reaffirm the legitimacy of their elected leaders.          

But this is preferable to the sham, symbolic, scripted, and hollow elections in autocratic regimes like Iran, Cuba, North Korea and China where the victors are known even before the ballots are printed.

As an aside, survey companies in the Philippines are a lucrative business during elections as politicians pay them to conduct surveys showing them to be top of mind and leading the pack prior to D-Day hoping to influence voters by creating a bandwagon mentality. But with the recent election results defying all surveys, the future business of pollsters might be grim in 2028 and beyond.

Elections are not merely a political ritual for selecting leaders. They are a fundamental expression of the people’s right to choose their leaders and, together, define their collective future. While often messy, imperfect, and contentious, elections offer a peaceful way to resolve conflicts, hold leaders accountable, and provide citizens with the means to participate in shaping their future. 

In the Philippines, our challenge is not just to hold elections regularly, but to strengthen their integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness. Only through meaningful electoral reforms and a politically informed citizenry can democracy move beyond ritual and become a truly responsive and resilient system of governance.