August 1, 2021

Mexico Referendum
Freedom House Rating: Party Free
Government Type: Federal Presidential Republic
Population: 130 million

At stake: Whether or not former presidents can be prosecuted for corruption, although widely dismissed as a joke because former presidents can already be prosecuted

Mexico held a referendum on prosecuting former presidents on August 1, although many critics have dismissed it as pointless political theatre. Turnout was less than 7 percent, meaning the results are not binding.

This follows high-stakes midterm elections, which were a key test for left-wing populist firebrand Andrés Manuel López Obrador (frequently called AMLO) ahead of the 2024 presidential election, and he largely lost – his MORENA party did not get its majority in the legislature, and although MORENA won most of the state governorships, it lost control of most areas of Mexico City. AMLO, who has been governing in an increasingly authoritarian manner, wants to transform Mexico by jettisoning the market economy, but these election results will make it harder for him to do that.

Meanwhile, political violence is on the rise, with at least 88 politicians killed and hundreds of candidates targeted during the local elections.

August 12, 2021

Zambia General Elections

Freedom House Rating: Partly Free
Government Type: Presidential Republic

Population: 19 million

At stake: Office of the president and vice president, plus all 156 seats in the unicameral National Assembly, plus local offices

Zambia has scheduled general elections for August 12, 2021. These elections are being watched very closely by the international pro-democracy community as it will be a very close race between incumbent president Edgar Lungu and main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema.

Zambia used to be a model democracy in the region, with regular, competitive elections and a vibrant civil society. However, under Lungu, elected in 2015 to complete the term of Michael Sata (who died in office), Zambia began to regress toward authoritarianism. The 2016 elections were marred by political violence and allegations of vote-rigging but ultimately judged credible. However, there are fears of an uneven playing field during the 2021 elections. The lead-up has been violent.

August 15, 2021

Argentina, Provincial Elections in Salta
Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Presidential Republic
Population: 45.9 million (Argentina), 618,000 (Salta Province)

At stake: All seats in the legislature of Salta Province and thus control of the provincial government

Argentina’s Salta Province in the northwest of the country holds provincial elections on August 15. Although most of the country’s 23 provinces hold their elections at the same time as presidential elections (which last took place in 2019 and are due again in 2023), a few are due to hold elections this year, ahead of midterm legislative elections due this fall.

Argentina’s 2021 elections – both provincial and legislative – are happening in the context of an economic crisis, which the leftist government and COVID-19 have exacerbated.

August 17, 2021

Canada, Provincial Elections in Nova Scotia
Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Federal Parliamentary Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Population: 37.9 million (Canada), 982,000 (Nova Scotia)

At stake: All seats in Nova Scotia’s House of Assembly, Canada’s oldest provincial legislature, dating back to 1758, and therefore control of the Nova Scotia provincial government

Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories all hold provincial and municipal elections at different times. Several are due to hold elections in the next year. 

Nova Scotia, whose legislative assembly is Canada’s oldest and dates back to 1758, holds provincial elections on August 17. In the last elections, in 2017, the Liberals won a majority for the second time in a row.

Meanwhile, many observers anticipate that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will call snap federal elections soon, possibly in September.

August 22, 2021

Japan, Mayoral Election in Yokohama

Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Population: 124.7 million (Japan), 3.7 million (Yokohama)

At stake: Office of the mayor of Yokohama

Yokohama, Japan’s second-biggest city, holds a mayoral election on August 29. Incumbent Fumiko Hayashi is running for a fourth term. Hayashi is a member of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP or DPFP), a small center-right party that currently holds a handful of seats in the National Assembly and sits in opposition to the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

August 28, 2021

Australia, Local Elections in Northern Territory

Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Federal Parliamentary Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Population: 25.8 million (Australia), 247,000 (Northern Territory)

At stake: Various local offices in Australia’s Northern Territory

Several Australian states hold elections for state and/or local offices in 2021. Northern Territory holds local elections on August 28. Meanwhile, federal parliamentary elections are due in 2022, but snap elections could happen.

August 29, 2021

São Tomé and Príncipe Presidential Runoff (delayed from August 8)

Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Population: 214,000

At stake: Office of the president

São Tomé and Príncipe (frequently called STP) will likely hold a presidential runoff on August 29, 2021, following the first round on July 18, 2021. The current president, Evaristo Carvalho, from the centrist ADI party, is not running for a second term – the first time this has happened in STP’s history. Nineteen candidates ran to succeed him, including six from the MLSTP-PSD party, which was the ruling party during the communist era and currently heads the government.

In the runoff, former infrastructure minister Carlos Vila Nova from ADI will face off against former prime minister Guilherme Posser da Costa from MLSTP-PSD. The runoff was supposed to take place on August 8, but was delayed because the third-place candidate in the first round challenged the results, but a court ordered the runoff to proceed.

Since the end of Marxist one-party rule in 1991, São Tomé and Príncipe has held regular elections with peaceful transfers of power, and is generally considered a free democracy. In STP’s semi-presidential system, the prime minister holds executive power and serves as head of government, while the president serves as head of state, arbitrating within the government and representing the country.

Argentina, Provincial Elections in Corrientes
Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Presidential Republic
Population: 45.9 million (Argentina), 993,000 (Corrientes Province)

At stake: Seats in Corrientes’ provincial legislature, plus control of the provincial government of Corrientes

Argentina’s Corrientes Province in the northwest of the country holds provincial elections on August 29. Although most of the country’s 23 provinces hold their elections at the same time as presidential elections (which last took place in 2019 and are due again in 2023), a few are due to hold elections this year, ahead of midterm legislative elections due this fall.

Argentina’s 2021 elections – both provincial and legislative – are happening in the context of an economic crisis, which the leftist government and COVID-19 have exacerbated.

Voters during Zambia’s 2016 elections. Zambia heads to the polls this month for crucial elections. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Louise Mellor, DFID (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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