Context: The American system is not just different from India’s, but every US state differs in the way it conducts elections and counts votes.
Features |
Indian Elections |
American Elections |
Universal Suffrage |
India discarded property, economic, gender and literacy criteria for election in 1950. |
The US achieved the same more than 150 years ago |
Federal Character |
Centralises rules are created to ensure equal and universal franchise among differently governed states |
States came up with their own democratic rules and customs, which limited the power of the federal government. |
Provision of postal ballots |
Present for a limited group like members of armed forces or foreign services; In India, they are prone to fraud and have less secrecy. |
Allow early voting and mail-in-ballots, helped the elderly to cast their votes. |
Workforce |
In 2019, the ECI used 11 million officials, mostly government employees and security forces, mandated to follow uniform rules, for a smooth process. |
America has a remarkably small number of paid poll workers, and a large number of volunteers ensure that polling happens safely and efficiently. |
Complexity |
Since 85% of Indian were illiterate in 1950, the election was kept simple ballot through use of symbols, non-concurrent elections, and a single question for a voting decision. |
US elections, however, are multi issues, where citizens elect both for the Senate and House and local elections together. |
Eligible Voters |
In 2019 general elections there were 879 million eligible voters. |
In the 2020 presidential election there were 224 million eligible American voters. |
Citizen Engagement |
Indian elections have fewer dimensions of citizen engagement than US elections. |
US election ballots sometimes feature referenda on issues like decriminalizing drugs, redistricting the state, new local taxes running into many pages. |