Iran

Question 1

General Election Day

Answer 1

Scheduled, Presidential and Parliament voting days are staggered by one year

Question 2

Voter Turnout

Answer 2

Presidential: ~72% (voter drop-off in 2021, was in 40%)

Parliament: ~40%

Question 3

Presidential elections in Iran are under a _____________.

Answer 3

Presidential elections in Iran are under a (MAYBE - SUPPOSED TO BE) TWO ROUND SYSTEM. Also- Majoritarian!

Question 4

2 Round Presidential Election System

Answer 4

Round 1: Presidential candidates in Iran (and Russia) must win an absolute majority of the popular vote in either the 1st or 2nd round of national voting

Round 2: if no one wins a majority in the 1st round, the 2nd round is conducted between the top two candidates

Question 5

Iranian President

Answer 5

• Head of Government
• No PM since 1989 (has VP unlike Russia and Mexico)
• Elected by DIRECT vote in 2 round system (more like Russian system)
• 4 yr term (renewable but not consecutively); cannot run 3rd term or serve 8 yrs+ in office

Question 6

Majlis SEATS

Answer 6

290 deputies total. All members are DIRECTLY ELECTED. However, 5/290 seats are reserved for religious minorities (Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians)

Question 7

Majlis STATS

Answer 7

Districts: 208 constituencies across 31 provinces
SMD: 174
MMD: 34
Numbers: each electing ABOUT 2-6 MPs

!!!! CONSTITUENCY DATA: Tehran has the most MPs with 30, then the second highest is 6 MPs, then it quickly goes downhill…

Question 8

Iran’s Electoral System

Answer 8

has a modified block voting system where multiple candidates are elected simultaneously (SM and MM Districts)

• voters cast the same # of votes as there are seats allocated to the electoral district

Question 9

Iran’s Electoral System: RESTRICTION

Answer 9

Can only cast 1 ballot per candidate (you cannot vote for the same person multiple times with your multiple votes)

Question 10

Sex and Demographics

Answer 10

8% of Majlis is female and there is no mandatory level

Question 11

Voter DATA

Answer 11

52% Male, 48% Woman

Question 12

Similar to the Russian President, Iranian President, and sorta not really the Nigerian President, Iran’s Majlis are under a ______________.

Answer 12

TWO ROUND SYSTEM

Question 13

Majlis Two Round Voting System

Answer 13

• FPP Plurality threshold (25%)
• Done to fill all seats in a constituency IF enough candidates didn’t get required level of support during 1st Round
• Majlis have a TRUE! Two Round System, which is less likely to appear with the Iranian President.

Question 14

Majlis Qualifications

Answer 14

• Age ceiling and floor (30-75)
• Muslim (except the minority 5 exception)
• One higher degree
• No “bad reputation”
• Physically healthy

Most importantly… APPROVED BY THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL

Question 15

Role of the Guardian Council in Parliamentary Elections

Answer 15

Approve candidates running for election (and on top of that approve/veto legislature made by the elected officials!)

EX: In 2020 Majlis election, they disqualified 7,296/15,000 candidates

Question 16

Who may be up for election during a non-Presidential year??

Answer 16

Majlis (4 yr term) and the Assembly of Religious Experts (8 yr term)

Question 17

Is the Iranian political party system strong?

Answer 17

NO! Iran lacks formal political party structures. Party is not that important - there - but not that important.

Question 18

Principlists

Answer 18

• HARD-RIGHT
• Islamic clerics and fundamentalists
• Dominant party
• Supreme Leader, Guardian Council, President, and most MPs are from this party
• Founded right after the 1979 Revolution

Question 19

Reformists

Answer 19

• Left-wing
• Intellectuals
• Hold almost no power because of frequent disqualifications/limitations by the Supreme Leader and Guardian Council