Elections are integral to democratic governance. Through the mechanism of
elections, politicians are held accountable for their actions, and are compelled
to introduce policies that are reflective of and responsive to public opinion.
Ideally, elections serve as a ‘major source of political recruitment, a means of
making government, and of transferring government power, a guarantee of
representation, and a major determinant of government policy’ (Heywood, 2000:
200). These do not, however, prevent the distortion of the will of the electorate
in a ‘flawed democracy’.