Editing Politics of Botswana (section)

== Elections ==
{{Main|Elections in Botswana}}
Botswana has held regular elections since its independence at five year intervals, all of which have been won by the Botswana Democratic Party. Elections are overseen by the [[Independent Electoral Commission (Botswana)|Independent Electoral Commission]] (IEC).<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Mogalakwe |first=Monageng |date=2015-01-02 |title=An assessment of Botswana's electoral management body to deliver fair elections |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2015.1021210 |journal=Journal of Contemporary African Studies |volume=33 |issue=1 |pages=105–120 |doi=10.1080/02589001.2015.1021210 |s2cid=154949350 |issn=0258-9001}}</ref> Elections in Botswana use [[first-past-the-post voting]] in which the winner is the candidate that receives a [[majority]] or [[Plurality (voting)|plurality]] of votes.<ref name=":3" /> Botswana is rare among African countries in that its elections have never been associated with widespread [[political violence]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last1=Sebudubudu |first1=David |last2=Botlhomilwe |first2=Mokganedi Zara |date=2010 |title=The management of elections: the case of Botswana |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/10.10520/EJC88240 |journal=Politeia |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=65–77}}</ref>

The independence of Botswana's elections have been the subject of scrutiny over the years. While elections are free and opposition parties are unrestrained, the incumbent party has access to other advantages. Prior to the creation of the IEC, the ruling party controlled elections through the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, which fell under the direct control of the Office of President. The creation of the IEC, as part of democratic reforms undertook in the 1990s, has since mitigated this to an extent, though questions around its independence lingered on during the remainder of one-party dominance.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />