2013
Jordan Parliamentary Elections
19
Electoral Framework
Technical Improvements
The most notable reform of Jordan’s electoral system was the creation of the IEC, which took over
administrative duties from the Ministry of Interior for parliamentary elections. Regrettably, the
Municipal Law was not amended to give the IEC legal jurisdiction over the 2013 municipal
elections, and instead the IEC was tasked by Jordan’s cabinet with an unclear supervisory role over
the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
Additional positive developments included changes made to the voter registration procedures that
led to a more reliable system of registering voters and one that was more resistant to tampering. In
addition, advances in polling procedures that required votes to be counted at the polling station in
the presence of both citizen and international observers as well as candidate and list representatives
increased confidence in the final results. The addition of 27 seats to the parliament to be elected on
a national basis through proportional representation was also a step forward for Jordan, representing
the first time in the country’s history that proportional representation was instituted.
Finally, Election Day procedures were strengthened by the use of symbols and numbers on pre-
printed ballot papers, which eliminated the need for “whisper voting,” a tactic intended in previous
elections to allow illiterate voters to cast votes by whispering their vote to the chairman of a polling
station but which raised concerns among observers about the secrecy of the vote and potential vote
buying because of apparent abuse.
Still, despite all of these technical improvements, the sidelining of the IEC in favor of the Ministry
of Municipal Affairs administering the August 27, 2013 municipal elections brings these advances
into question. Independent administration of elections is crucial for democratization to progress,
and therefore Jordan is urged to facilitate the return of the IEC to its role in supervising all aspects
of election management.
Shortcomings
The new system retained many of the shortfalls of the previous election law. The upper house of
parliament remained unchanged by the new law, as the King retained the power to appoint the
Senate, which is not to exceed half the number of representatives in the lower house. Many
stakeholders, including prominent government officials, perceived the 27 seats set aside for lists in
the lower house as too few to spur the development of parties or other political entities formed
around platforms. For them, reform of the election law was a missed opportunity because it left
intact the controversial district-level, SNTV system, which comprises 82 percent of seats under the
new law. Retention of the SNTV system was magnified by failure to address the current districting
structure. The districts, 45 in all, tend to be smaller and less populated in rural areas, further
supporting tribal candidates and contributing to an unfair competitive environment.
The new election law fell short of providing meaningful incentives for increased participation,
particularly by political parties, which have been touted by the King himself as a linchpin of future
reform efforts. Specifically, both registered parties and any group of nine or more citizens wishing
to form a list were eligible to run for the reserved list seats during the elections. This led to a
