The basic component of any modern democracy, in which the people are the source of
the government’s power, is the electoral process.  This must be free from intimidation, fair
to all participants and transparent to ensure legitimacy. The basis for establishing an
electoral process stems from provisions within a nation’s constitution.

A constitution sets out structures, such as the type of government to be created, how long
a government serves, and what authority is granted the government based on the will of
the people, as expressed at the voting booth.  It is important to understand how
democracy can be structured and implemented beyond its initial definitions set out in a
constitution.