Why a Local Vote?

The Problem

Development projects that affect the environment and the human rights of local people are often the subject of intense and sometimes violent controversy in the developing areas of the world. Many of the projects are located in areas where indigenous people depend on the environment for both their livelihoods and their cultural traditions. Human rights issues arise because the projects often impact the health, livelihoods, and way of life of the affected communities, whether rural or indigenous.

Opponents of projects claim that they have faced death threats, intimidation, false imprisonment, assault, and murder when they have opposed specific projects. Corporations and project proponents claim to have suffered property destruction, especially arson, and further claim that opponents have engaged in threats and other forms of intimidation.

A Solution?

Among the most promising ideas to reduce violence and promote informed participation by citizens is an entirely democratic form of ascertaining community sentiment and determining policy: holding a local vote. The holding of votes on matters of local concern is authorized by national law and local law in a growing number of countries. Such laws typically authorize the local governing body to conduct a vote in which citizens can register their approval or opposition on a specific issue. Local votes are increasingly being held on proposed natural resource development projects, especially mines and dams.

The phenomenon of community votes on resource development projects that implicate environmental and human rights concerns first arose in Tambogrande, Peru in 2002. Since then, communities in Peru, Argentina, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and elsewhere have used these laws to hold votes that typically ask the single question of whether a project should go forward

Votes have been held after periods of community debate between those who support a particular project and those who oppose it. Though the history of the use of votes in determining popular sentiment on local development issues has largely been confined to proposed mines and dams, there is no reason why citizens could not consider holding community votes on other types of projects.

In countries where local votes become a more common means of resolution of these issues, both sides are more likely to choose to persuade rather than intimidate, demonstrate rather than riot, promote their views peaceably, and avoid conduct that will alienate voters. The examples that are presented in this resource section come from a number of countries and illustrate the manner in which this electoral innovation has played out in different circumstances.

Stone Drum village on the Yangtze River would be submerged by the Three Gorges dam.

All persons, in accordance with their national legislation, shall have the opportunity to participate in the formulation of decisions of direct concern to their environment.

- The World Charter for Nature, adopted by one hundred eleven countries, Principle 23.