Carter Center Delegation Report: Village Elections in
China
5 Mar 1997
Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
I. Introduction
II. The Carter Center and China
III. Fujian and Hebei: Similarities and Differences
IV. The Significance of the Elections
V. Suggestions
VI. Conclusions and Next Steps
Appendices: (not available online)
A. Schedule of Carter Center Delegation to Observe Elections in China
B. Village Elections Survey Form, March 1997
C. Letter of Invitation from Ministry of Civil Affairs, Sept. 1, 1996
D. Response by Dr. Robert Pastor, The Carter Center
E. Letter of Invitation from Foreign Affairs Bureau, Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference, Feb. 25, 1997
F. Letter of Invitation from China Intercontinental Communication Center, March 4, 1997
G. Bios of Carter Center Delegation to China
H. Newspaper Articles
Executive Summary:
At China's invitation, The Carter Center sent a seven-person, international team led by Dr. Robert Pastor, a
Carter Center Fellow and expert on elections, to observe the village electoral process in Fujian and Hebei
provinces. The delegation also held discussions with officials in Beijing on election issues and on future areas of
cooperation between The Carter Center and China. The delegation concluded that the village elections are a
serious and positive development in empowering China's 900 million villagers, even though many parts of the
country might not have fully implemented the election rules yet.
Despite problems, the village elections are important, first, because the election law mandates the basic norms
of a democratic process - secret ballot, direct election, multiple candidates, public count, 3-year fixed term - and
the Ministry of Civil Affairs is trying hard to implement these norms throughout the country. Second, as each
village repeats the process, China widens and deepens its technical capacity to hold elections. Third, the
government is open