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Election silence,^[1] blackout period,^[2]^[3]^[4] pre-election silence, electoral silence, or campaign silence^[5] is a ban on political campaigning or media coverage of a general election, before or during that election.

Operation

In some jurisdictions, such as Slovenia, Poland and Nepal, it is forbidden to try to convince people to vote for a specific candidate or political party on the day of election. Some jurisdictions have declared that, legally, election silence is in violation of law regarding freedom of speech. It is however used in some of the world's democracies "in order to balance out the campaigning and maintain a free voting environment".^[5] Whereas in others, a more limited form of 'silence' operates where the media are prevented from commenting on campaign activities on polling day, and/or publication of opinion polls is illegal.

An election silence operates in some countries to allow a period for voters to reflect on events before casting their votes.^[5] During this period no active campaigning by the candidates is allowed. Often polling is also banned.^[5]

Usage and practice

Overview

Election silences are observed in the following countries, amongst others. Their duration, before the election, is given in parentheses:

Armenia (24 hours)^[6]
Argentina (48 hours)
Australia (ban on TV and radio advertising from midnight on the Wednesday before polling day to the close of polls on polling day—always a Saturday)^[7]
Azerbaijan (24 hours before voting)
Bahrain (24 hours before voting)^[8]
Barbados (polling day and previous)^[9]
Bosnia and Herzegovina (24 hours)
Brazil (ban on TV and radio advertising from 20:40 on the Thursday before polling day to the close of polls on polling day–always a Sunday; the same applies for runoffs)^[10]
Bulgaria (24 hours in advance of polling day and on polling day)^[11]
Cambodia (48 hours, on the eve "White Day" and polling day, alcohol selling ban also applied)
Canada (advertising banned before polls close on polling day)^[12]
Croatia (from 00:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close)^[13]
Cyprus (48 hours)^[14]
Czech Republic (3 days)^[15]
Egypt (48 hours)
Fiji (48 hours)^[16]
France (on the Saturday before the Sunday election; polling silence included)
Greece (48 hours)
Hungary (from 00:00 on the preceding day)^[17]
India (48 to 24 hours in advance of polling day and on polling day)
Indonesia (3 days before voting day)^[18]
Ireland (from 14:00 on the preceding day)^[19]
Israel (from 19:00 on the preceding day)^[20] Polls are banned for 5 days before the election. TV and radio ads are banned during campaign beside a concentrated bloc scheduled by the election committee around 2 weeks before the election.
Italy (from 00:00 on the preceding day), polling banned from 15 days before elections, it is prohibited to say the names of candidates on television in the month before elections (except for TV news programs and regulated electoral advertising)
Japan (election day)
Kazakhstan (from 00:00 on the preceding day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 5 days before the election day)^[21]
Lebanon (starting from zero hours on the day before the parliamentary elections, and until the closing of the polls)^[22]
Malaysia (election day)
Malta (from 00:00 on the preceding day until the polls close on election day; since elections always fall on a Saturday, this means that the silence period starts on Friday at midnight)
Montenegro (48 hours)^[23]
Mozambique (48 hours for campaigning; polling during the entire campaign period)^[24]
Nepal (48 hours)
New Zealand (between 00:00 and 19:00 on election day).^[25]
North Macedonia (from 00:00 on the preceding day)
Pakistan (24 hours) ^[26]
Paraguay (48 hours) ^[27]
Peru (24 hours) ^[28]
Philippines (on Maundy Thursday up to Good Friday, and from 00:00 on the preceding day up to election day. At this time, political campaigns are prohibited.)^[29]
Poland (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and on the election day as long as the polling stations are open)^[30] since 1991
Portugal (24 hours before, and during the election day)
Russia (24 hours)^[31]
Singapore (24 hours) called "cooling-off day", first implemented in 2011^[32]
Serbia (from 00:00 two days before election day)^[33]
Slovakia (48 hours, both campaigning and polling)^[34]^[35]
Slovenia (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and in the election day until the polling stations close)
South Korea (Election day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 6 days before the election day)
Spain (24 hours before election day) called "reflection day". Polling is banned five days before election day, although there are some legal tricks, like publishing abroad^[36]
Sri Lanka (48 hours before election day)
Taiwan (Election day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 10 days before the election day)
Thailand (from 18:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close, alcohol selling ban also applied)^[37]
Tunisia (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and in the election day until the polling stations close)
Turkey (from 18:00 the day before until polling stations close, alcohol selling ban also applied from 22:00 the night before until polling stations close)
Ukraine (from 00:00 on the preceding day, prohibition of agitation on polling stations, external commercials and banners should be removed)^[38]
United Kingdom; while polling stations are open, broadcast media cannot report on any campaign activity, and it is forbidden to publish an exit poll or anything resembling one until voting closes. However, candidates and parties can still campaign (and often do so intensively), and print and digital media have no additional reporting restrictions.^[39]
Uruguay (from 00:00 two days before election day)

Bulgaria

The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria ruled in 2009 that both electoral silence and ban on opinion polls before the election day represented a violation of freedom of speech.^{[citation needed]}

Canada

It is not permitted to "transmit election advertising to the public in an electoral district on polling day before the close of all of the polling stations in the electoral district".^[12]

Prior to the 2015 Canadian federal election,^[40] the distribution of election results in regions of the country where polls have not yet closed was banned, so results from ridings in the Eastern and Atlantic provinces would not influence results in the west.^[41] This was upheld as lawful in a 2007 decision of the Supreme Court, R v Bryan.^[41]^[42] In January 2012, the Government announced it would repeal the prohibition "[as it] does not make sense with the widespread use of social media and other modern communications technology", upon the urging of the then Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand.^[43]^[44]^[45] It was repealed by the Fair Elections Act on June 19, 2014.^[46]

Although media organisations are not permitted to be present for the count of results or to enter polling rooms, they may shoot video or photos from outside of a polling room as long as the secrecy of the ballot is maintained and access to the room is not impeded.^[47]

Between 1993 and 1998, the distribution of election surveys 74 hours before election day was banned. This was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada as violating section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Thomson Newspapers Co v Canada (AG).^[43]^[48]

Slovenia

The Constitutional Court of Slovenia ruled in 2011 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional.^[49]

Until 2016, any mention of the candidate on the day of election was prohibited. Those who published positive or critical statements about parties or candidates on social media, online forums, or stated them for example in restaurants, were prosecuted and fined.^[50] For over two decades, media and voters refrained from talking about politics on the day before the elections and on election day. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that "not every opinion is propaganda", published a new definition of the term 'propaganda' and reverted a lower court judgement, which convicted a person who published "Great interview! Worth reading!" on Facebook.^[51]^[52]^[53]

Hungary

The Constitutional Court of Hungary ruled in 2007 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional, but upheld electoral silence.^[54]

United States

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Burson v. Freeman (1992) that campaigning can only be limited on election day in a small area around the polling station. Any broader ban on speech would be unconstitutional.^[55]

References

^ "French election: Sarkozy and Hollande keep silence". BBC News Europe. 5 May 2012.
^ Penman, Maggie (May 6, 2017). "French Candidate Emmanuel Macron Says Campaign Has Been Hacked, Just Before Election". NPR. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
^ "Fiji election: Blackout to end after extension". RNZ. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ Rigby, Brittney (14 May 2019). "Liberal Democrats senator calls for abolition of election advertising black out". Mumbrella. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Campaign silence —". aceproject.org. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ Electoral Code of Armenia
^ "About this Collection | Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) | Digital Collections | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ "Election campaigns". vote.bh. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
^ Barbados Law on Election Broadcasting
^ "Eleições 2020: propaganda eleitoral no rádio e na TV começa nesta sexta-feira; veja regras". G1 (in Portuguese). 8 October 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
^ Bulgaria Election Code
^ ^a ^b "Canada Elections Act". Justice Laws. Department of Justice. November 28, 2022. p. 25. Retrieved December 21, 2022. Original version published May 31, 2000. Last modified June 29, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
^ "Hrvatski sabor". Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
^ "Cyprus enters dome of silence ahead of election". Kathimerini. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
^ "Media and Elections: Czech Republic". ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
^ "The Electoral Commission Fiji – The Electoral Commission Fiji". Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ "Alkotmánybíróság - Kezdőlap" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-20. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
^ Law of the Republic of Indonesia
^ "Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Moratorium on General Election Coverage". 24 February 2016.
^ "חוק הבחירות לכנסת" (in Hebrew).
^ "On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan - "Adilet" LIS". adilet.zan.kz. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
^ "What is electoral silence? And to what extent is it committed?". SBI.
^ "B92 - Election silence begins in Montenegro". Archived from the original on 2010-05-23. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
^ Mozambique Electoral Law: Electoral Law 7/2007, articles 18, 24, 34
^ "Part 4: Election campaigning | Elections New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2012-11-05.
^ "ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan". www.ecp.gov.pk. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ "Desde medianoche rige la veda electoral - Paraguay.com".
^ "Codigo Electoral del Peru" (PDF).
^ "Comelec releases calendar of activities for 2022 elections". RAPPLER. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
^ "Kodeks Wyborczy (internetowy system aktów prawnych)". Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ "Election silence starts in Russia before single voting day on September 13". TASS. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
^ "Dos and Don'ts on Cooling-off and Polling days". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-06.
^ "Izborna tišina počinje od četvrtka u ponoć" [Election Silence Starts Thursday at Midnight] (in Serbian). Telegraf. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
^ "§14 and §17, ZÁKON z 29. mája 2014 o volebnej kampani a o zmene a doplnení zákona č. 85/2005 Z. z. o politických stranách a politických hnutiach v znení neskorších predpisov". Domov. 14 January 2023.
^ a.s, Petit Press. "Volebné moratórium pred komunálnymi a VÚC voľbami 2022". domov.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 2023-01-14.
^ "LEY ORGÁNICA 5/1985, DE 19 DE JUNIO, DEL RÉGIMEN ELECTORAL GENERAL" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
^ "เลือกตั้ง 2562 ข้อห้าม ในช่วงก่อนเลือกตั้งและวันเลือกตั้ง" (in Thai). 11 March 2019.
^ "Electoral silence in Ukraine on Saturday before parliamentary election on Sunday". Kyiv Post. 27 October 2012.
^ "Ofcom's role in a General Election – what you need to know". Ofcom. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ Cowan, Micki (7 October 2015). "Election night results blackout a thing of the past". CBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Supreme Court upholds blackout on early election night results". CBC News. 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2014-11-04.
^ "R v Bryan, 2007 SCC 12" (PDF) (in English and French). Supreme Court of Canada. March 15, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Advancing Fairness, Transparency and Integrity, 1982–2020". A History of the Vote in Canada (PDF) (3rd ed.). Gatineau, Quebec: Elections Canada. 2021. ISBN 978-0-660-37056-9.
^ Canada, Employment and Social Development (2012-01-13). "Harper Government Committed to Repealing Dated Ban on Early Communication of Election Results". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
^ Peesker, Saira (2012-01-13). "Feds lifting ban on publishing early election results". CTVNews. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
^ "Fair Elections Act • Loi sur l'intégrité des élections" [Law on the Integrity of Elections]. Justice Laws. Parliament of Canada. June 19, 2014. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Department of Justice.
^ "Media at polling places". www.elections.ca. Elections Canada. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
^ "Thomson Newspapers Co. v. Canada (Attorney General) 1 SCR 877 (1998)" (PDF) (in English and French). Canada: Supreme Court of Canada. May 29, 1998. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
^ Decision U-I-67/09 on 24 March 2011
^ "Socialistični volilni molk". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2022-12-21.
^ "Supreme Court on election blackouts: Every comment is not propaganda". rtvslo.si. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ "Vrhovno sodišče o volilnem molku: Vsaka izjava še ni propaganda".
^ "Pravnik: Volilnega molka v Sloveniji ni več #IzArhiva".
^ Decision 6/2007 (II. 27.) AB on 26. February 2007
^ Burson v. Freeman, 504 U.S. 191 (1992)

External links

ACE Electoral Knowledge Network – map of blackout periods around the world.

[1] "French election: Sarkozy and Hollande keep silence". BBC News Europe. 5 May 2012.

[2] Penman, Maggie (May 6, 2017). "French Candidate Emmanuel Macron Says Campaign Has Been Hacked, Just Before Election". NPR. Retrieved October 28, 2022.

[3] "Fiji election: Blackout to end after extension". RNZ. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[4] Rigby, Brittney (14 May 2019). "Liberal Democrats senator calls for abolition of election advertising black out". Mumbrella. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[Ace-5] "Campaign silence —". aceproject.org. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[6] Electoral Code of Armenia

[7] "About this Collection | Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) | Digital Collections | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[8] "Election campaigns". vote.bh. Retrieved 15 April 2023.

[9] Barbados Law on Election Broadcasting

[10] "Eleições 2020: propaganda eleitoral no rádio e na TV começa nesta sexta-feira; veja regras". G1 (in Portuguese). 8 October 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

[11] Bulgaria Election Code

[CanElectionsActp25-12] "Canada Elections Act". Justice Laws. Department of Justice. November 28, 2022. p. 25. Retrieved December 21, 2022. Original version published May 31, 2000. Last modified June 29, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)

[13] "Hrvatski sabor". Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

[14] "Cyprus enters dome of silence ahead of election". Kathimerini. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.

[15] "Media and Elections: Czech Republic". ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2022.

[16] "The Electoral Commission Fiji – The Electoral Commission Fiji". Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[17] "Alkotmánybíróság - Kezdőlap" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-20. Retrieved 2008-11-05.

[18] Law of the Republic of Indonesia

[19] "Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Moratorium on General Election Coverage". 24 February 2016.

[20] "חוק הבחירות לכנסת" (in Hebrew).

[21] "On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan - "Adilet" LIS". adilet.zan.kz. Retrieved 2023-12-09.

[22] "What is electoral silence? And to what extent is it committed?". SBI.

[23] "B92 - Election silence begins in Montenegro". Archived from the original on 2010-05-23. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

[24] Mozambique Electoral Law: Electoral Law 7/2007, articles 18, 24, 34

[25] "Part 4: Election campaigning | Elections New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2012-11-05.

[26] "ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan". www.ecp.gov.pk. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[27] "Desde medianoche rige la veda electoral - Paraguay.com".

[28] "Codigo Electoral del Peru" (PDF).

[29] "Comelec releases calendar of activities for 2022 elections". RAPPLER. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2022-04-11.

[30] "Kodeks Wyborczy (internetowy system aktów prawnych)". Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[31] "Election silence starts in Russia before single voting day on September 13". TASS. Retrieved 2023-05-28.

[32] "Dos and Don'ts on Cooling-off and Polling days". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-06.

[serbia-33] "Izborna tišina počinje od četvrtka u ponoć" [Election Silence Starts Thursday at Midnight] (in Serbian). Telegraf. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2014.

[34] "§14 and §17, ZÁKON z 29. mája 2014 o volebnej kampani a o zmene a doplnení zákona č. 85/2005 Z. z. o politických stranách a politických hnutiach v znení neskorších predpisov". Domov. 14 January 2023.

[35] .s, Petit Press. "Volebné moratórium pred komunálnymi a VÚC voľbami 2022". domov.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 2023-01-14.

[36] "LEY ORGÁNICA 5/1985, DE 19 DE JUNIO, DEL RÉGIMEN ELECTORAL GENERAL" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2011-05-21.

[37] "เลือกตั้ง 2562 ข้อห้าม ในช่วงก่อนเลือกตั้งและวันเลือกตั้ง" (in Thai). 11 March 2019.

[38] "Electoral silence in Ukraine on Saturday before parliamentary election on Sunday". Kyiv Post. 27 October 2012.

[ofcom-39] "Ofcom's role in a General Election – what you need to know". Ofcom. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.

[cbc-blackoutgone15-40] Cowan, Micki (7 October 2015). "Election night results blackout a thing of the past". CBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

[CANSC-CBC2007-41] "Supreme Court upholds blackout on early election night results". CBC News. 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2014-11-04.

[42] "R v Bryan, 2007 SCC 12" (PDF) (in English and French). Supreme Court of Canada. March 15, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.

[:1-43] "Advancing Fairness, Transparency and Integrity, 1982–2020". A History of the Vote in Canada (PDF) (3rd ed.). Gatineau, Quebec: Elections Canada. 2021. ISBN 978-0-660-37056-9.

[44] Canada, Employment and Social Development (2012-01-13). "Harper Government Committed to Repealing Dated Ban on Early Communication of Election Results". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-12-21.

[45] Peesker, Saira (2012-01-13). "Feds lifting ban on publishing early election results". CTVNews. Retrieved 2022-12-21.

[46] "Fair Elections Act • Loi sur l'intégrité des élections" [Law on the Integrity of Elections]. Justice Laws. Parliament of Canada. June 19, 2014. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Department of Justice.

[47] "Media at polling places". www.elections.ca. Elections Canada. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-21.

[48] "Thomson Newspapers Co. v. Canada (Attorney General) 1 SCR 877 (1998)" (PDF) (in English and French). Canada: Supreme Court of Canada. May 29, 1998. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.

[49] Decision U-I-67/09 on 24 March 2011

[50] "Socialistični volilni molk". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2022-12-21.

[51] "Supreme Court on election blackouts: Every comment is not propaganda". rtvslo.si. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[52] "Vrhovno sodišče o volilnem molku: Vsaka izjava še ni propaganda".

[53] "Pravnik: Volilnega molka v Sloveniji ni več #IzArhiva".

[54] Decision 6/2007 (II. 27.) AB on 26. February 2007

[55] Burson v. Freeman, 504 U.S. 191 (1992)

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Ban on some activities during a campaign}}
-{{Refimprove|date=April 2019}}
+{{More citations needed|date=April 2019}}
 {{Elections}}
-'''Election silence''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17969075|title=French election: Sarkozy and Hollande keep silence|publisher=BBC News Europe|date=5 May 2012}}</ref> '''pre-election silence''', '''electoral silence''', or '''campaign silence'''<ref name=Ace>{{cite web|url=http://aceproject.org/electoral-advice/archive/questions/replies/699408090|title=Campaign silence —|publisher=}}</ref> is a ban on political campaigning before, and in some countries during, a [[presidential election|presidential]] or [[general election]]. Under this rule, in some jurisdictions, such as Slovenia and Poland, it is forbidden to try to convince people to vote for a specific candidate or political party on the day of election. Some jurisdictions have declared that, legally, election silence is in [[violation of law]] regarding [[freedom of speech]]. It is however used in some of the world's democracies "in order to balance out the campaigning and maintain a free voting environment".<ref name=Ace/>
+'''Election silence''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17969075|title=French election: Sarkozy and Hollande keep silence|publisher=BBC News Europe|date=5 May 2012}}</ref> '''blackout period,'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/06/527154146/french-candidate-emmanuel-macron-says-campaign-has-been-hacked-hours-before-elec|title=French Candidate Emmanuel Macron Says Campaign Has Been Hacked, Just Before Election|work=NPR|first=Maggie|last=Penman|date=May 6, 2017|access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018671475/fiji-election-blackout-to-end-after-extension|title=Fiji election: Blackout to end after extension|date=16 November 2018|website=[[RNZ]] |accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/liberal-democrats-senator-calls-for-abolition-of-election-advertising-black-out-579318|title=Liberal Democrats senator calls for abolition of election advertising black out|first=Brittney|last=Rigby|date=14 May 2019|website=Mumbrella|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref> '''pre-election silence''', '''electoral silence''', or '''campaign silence'''<ref name=Ace>{{Cite web|url=https://aceproject.org/electoral-advice/archive/questions/replies/699408090|title=Campaign silence —|website=aceproject.org|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref> is a ban on political campaigning or media coverage of a [[general election]], before or during that election.
-==Background==
+==Operation==
+In some jurisdictions, such as Slovenia, Poland and Nepal, it is forbidden to try to convince people to vote for a specific candidate or political party on the day of election. Some jurisdictions have declared that, legally, election silence is in [[violation of law]] regarding [[freedom of speech]]. It is however used in some of the world's democracies "in order to balance out the campaigning and maintain a free voting environment".<ref name=Ace/> Whereas in others, a more limited form of 'silence' operates where the media are prevented from commenting on campaign activities on polling day, and/or publication of opinion polls is illegal.
-An election silence operates in some countries to allow a period for voters to reflect on events before casting their votes.<ref name=Ace/>{{qn|date=September 2016}} During this period no active campaigning by the candidates is allowed. Often [[Opinion poll|polling]] is also banned. The silence is generally legally enforced, though in some countries it is just a "[[gentlemen's agreement]]" between leading{{cn|date=September 2016}} parties.<ref name=Ace/>
+An election silence operates in some countries to allow a period for voters to reflect on events before casting their votes.<ref name=Ace/> During this period no active campaigning by the candidates is allowed. Often [[Opinion poll|polling]] is also banned.<ref name=Ace/>
-The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in ''[[Burson v. Freeman]]'' (1992) that campaigning can only be limited on election day in a small area around the polling station. Any broader ban on speech would be unconstitutional.<ref>Burson v. Freeman, 504 U.S. 191 (1992)</ref> In [[Bulgaria]], the [[Constitutional Court of Bulgaria|constitutional court]] ruled in 2009 that both electoral silence and ban on [[opinion polls]] before the election day represented a violation of freedom of speech.{{cn|date=September 2016}} The [[Constitutional Court of Hungary|Constitutional Court]] of [[Hungary]] ruled in 2007 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional, but upheld electoral silence.<ref>Decision 6/2007 (II. 27.) AB on 26. February 2007</ref> The [[Constitutional Court of Slovenia|Constitutional Court]] of [[Slovenia]] ruled in 2011 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional.<ref>Decision U-I-67/09 on 24 March 2011</ref> Per [[Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act]], Canada formerly banned the distribution of election results in regions of the country where polls have not yet closed, so results from ridings in the Eastern and Atlantic provinces would not influence results in the west.<ref>
-{{cite news
-| title = Supreme Court upholds blackout on early election night results
-| work= [[CBC News]] | date = 2014-11-04
-| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/supreme-court-upholds-blackout-on-early-election-night-results-1.667761
-| accessdate = 2007-06-26
-}}
-</ref>
-This ban, although upheld by the [[Supreme Court of Canada|Supreme Court]], was repealed in 2012.
-Election silence is also called a "blackout period".<ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/06/527154146/french-candidate-emmanuel-macron-says-campaign-has-been-hacked-hours-before-elec French Candidate Emmanuel Macron Says Campaign Has Been Hacked, Just Before Election]</ref><ref>[https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018671475/fiji-election-blackout-to-end-after-extension Fiji election: Blackout to end after extension]</ref><ref>[https://mumbrella.com.au/liberal-democrats-senator-calls-for-abolition-of-election-advertising-black-out-579318 NEWSLiberal Democrats senator calls for abolition of election advertising black out]</ref>
-In Slovenia until 2016 any mention of the candidate on the day of election was prohibited. Those who published positive or critical statements about parties or candidates on social media, online forums, or stated them for example in restaurants, were prosecuted and fined.<ref>[https://www.dnevnik.si/1042614965 Socialistični volilni molk ("In Slovenian")]</ref> For over two decades, media and voters refrained from talking about politics on the day before the elections and on election day. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that "not every opinion is propaganda", published a new definition of the term 'propaganda' and reverted a lower court judgement, which convicted a person who published "Great interview! Worth reading!" on Facebook.[https://www.rtvslo.si/news-in-english/supreme-court-on-election-blackouts-every-comment-is-not-propaganda/403791][https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/vrhovno-sodisce-o-volilnem-molku-vsaka-izjava-se-ni-propaganda/403756] [http://siol.net/novice/slovenija/sodisce-v-casu-volilnega-molka-lahko-govorite-o-kandidatih-426616]
-==Usage==
+==Usage and practice==
+===Overview===
 Election silences are observed in the following countries, amongst others. Their duration, before the election, is given in parentheses:
-*[[Armenia]] (24 hours)<ref>[http://res.elections.am/images/doc/_ecode.pdf Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia]</ref>
+*[[Armenia]] (24 hours)<ref>[http://res.elections.am/images/doc/_ecode.pdf Electoral Code of Armenia]</ref>
 *[[Argentina]] (48 hours)
-*[[Australia]] (ban on TV and radio advertising from midnight on the Wednesday before polling day to the close of polls on polling day—always a Saturday)<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/australia.php Regulation of Political Advertising in Australia]</ref>
+*[[Australia]] (ban on TV and radio advertising from midnight on the Wednesday before polling day to the close of polls on polling day—always a Saturday)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/collections/publications-of-the-law-library-of-congress/about-this-collection/|title=About this Collection &#124; Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) &#124; Digital Collections &#124; Library of Congress|website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref>
 *[[Azerbaijan]] (24 hours before voting)
+*[[Bahrain]] (24 hours before voting)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vote.bh/en/election-campaigns|access-date=15 April 2023|website=vote.bh|title=Election campaigns}}</ref>
 *[[Barbados]] (polling day and previous)<ref>[http://aceproject.org/main/samples/me/mex04.pdf Barbados Law on Election Broadcasting]</ref>
 *[[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] (24 hours)
+*[[Brazil]] (ban on TV and radio advertising from 20:40 on the Thursday before polling day to the close of polls on polling day–always a Sunday; the same applies for runoffs)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/eleicoes/2020/noticia/2020/10/08/eleicoes-2020-propaganda-eleitoral-no-radio-e-na-tv-comeca-nesta-sexta-feira-veja-regras.ghtml|title=Eleições 2020: propaganda eleitoral no rádio e na TV começa nesta sexta-feira; veja regras|website=G1|language=pt|date=8 October 2020|accessdate=23 March 2021}}</ref>
 *[[Bulgaria]] (24 hours in advance of polling day and on polling day)<ref>[http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/WorkingGroups/workinggroup4/2012-August-27-29/Responses_NVs_2012/20120419_Bulgaria_English_4.pdf Bulgaria Election Code]</ref>
+*[[Cambodia]] (48 hours, on the eve "White Day" and polling day, alcohol selling ban also applied)
-*[[Canada]] (No campaigning in polling places on election day){{cn|date=September 2017}} Until 2015, it was also [[Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act|illegal]] to disseminate election returns into ridings where polls were not yet closed.<ref name=cbc-blackoutgone15>{{cite news|title=Election night results blackout a thing of the past|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/election-night-results-blackout-a-thing-of-the-past-1.3259787|accessdate=17 October 2015|work=CBC News}}</ref>
+*[[Canada]] (advertising banned before polls close on polling day)<ref name="CanElectionsActp25">{{Cite web |date=November 28, 2022 |title=Canada Elections Act |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/page-25.html?wbdisable=true |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=Justice Laws |publisher=[[Department of Justice (Canada)|Department of Justice]] |page=25 |postscript=. Original version published May 31, 2000. Last modified June 29, 2021.}}</ref>
-*[[Croatia]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?art=1876|title=Hrvatski sabor|publisher=|access-date=2010-06-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930035758/http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?art=1876|archive-date=2017-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref>
+*[[Croatia]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?art=1876|title=Hrvatski sabor|access-date=2010-06-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930035758/http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?art=1876|archive-date=2017-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-*[[Czech Republic]] (3 days){{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}
+*[[Cyprus]] (48 hours)<ref>{{cite news|title=Cyprus enters dome of silence ahead of election|url=https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-enters-dome-of-silence-ahead-of-election|access-date=31 October 2021|date=28 May 2021|work=[[Kathimerini]]}}</ref>
+*[[Czech Republic]] (3 days)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 March 2018 |title=Media and Elections: Czech Republic |url=https://aceproject.org/epic-en/CDCountry?set_language=en&topic=ME&country=CZ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=ACE Electoral Knowledge Network}}</ref>
 *[[Egypt]] (48 hours)
+*[[Fiji]] (48 hours)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.fj/|title=The Electoral Commission Fiji – The Electoral Commission Fiji|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref>
 *[[France]] (on the Saturday before the Sunday election; polling silence included)
+*[[Greece]] (48 hours)
-*[[Fiji]] (48 hours) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.fj/ |title=Election Commission of Fiji}}</ref>
 *[[Hungary]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mkab.hu/content/en/en3/6_2007.pdf|title=Alkotmánybíróság - Kezdőlap|access-date=2008-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620110607/http://www.mkab.hu/content/en/en3/6_2007.pdf|archive-date=2015-06-20|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 *[[India]] (48 to 24 hours in advance of polling day and on polling day)
-*[[Indonesia]] (3 days before voting day)<ref>[http://www.anfrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IFES-Indonesia-Unofficial-Translation-of-Law-82012-on-Legislative-Elections-v1_2012-06-14.pdf]</ref>
+*[[Indonesia]] (3 days before voting day)<ref>[http://www.anfrel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IFES-Indonesia-Unofficial-Translation-of-Law-82012-on-Legislative-Elections-v1_2012-06-14.pdf Law of the Republic of Indonesia]</ref>
-*[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] (from 14:00 on the preceding day)<ref>http://www.bai.ie/en/broadcasting-authority-of-ireland-bai-moratorium-on-general-election-coverage/</ref>
+*[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] (from 14:00 on the preceding day)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bai.ie/en/broadcasting-authority-of-ireland-bai-moratorium-on-general-election-coverage/|title=Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Moratorium on General Election Coverage|date=24 February 2016}}</ref>
-*[[Israel]] (from 19:00 on the preceding day)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nevo.co.il/law_html/law01/190_026.htm#Seif142|title=חוק הבחירות לכנסת|language=Hebrew}}</ref> Polls are banned for 5 days before the election. TV and radio ads are banned during campaign beside a concentrated bloc scheduled by the election committee around 2 weeks before the election.
+*[[Israel]] (from 19:00 on the preceding day)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nevo.co.il/law_html/law01/190_026.htm#Seif142|title=חוק הבחירות לכנסת|language=he}}</ref> Polls are banned for 5 days before the election. TV and radio ads are banned during campaign beside a concentrated bloc scheduled by the election committee around 2 weeks before the election.
 *[[Italy]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day), polling banned from 15 days before elections, it is prohibited to say the names of candidates on television in the month before elections (except for TV news programs and regulated electoral advertising)
+*[[Japan]] (election day)
+*[[Kazakhstan]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 5 days before the election day)<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan - "Adilet" LIS |url=https://adilet.zan.kz/eng/docs/Z950002464_ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=adilet.zan.kz}}</ref>
+*[[Lebanon]] (starting from zero hours on the day before the parliamentary elections, and until the closing of the polls)<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is electoral silence? And to what extent is it committed? |url=https://english.sawtbeirut.com/video/what-is-electoral-silence-and-to-what-extent-is-it-committed/ |website=SBI}}</ref>
 *[[Malaysia]] (election day)
 *[[Malta]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day until the polls close on election day; since elections always fall on a Saturday, this means that the silence period starts on Friday at midnight)
@@ Line 46: / Line 44: @@
 *[[Mozambique]] (48 hours for campaigning; polling during the entire campaign period)<ref>[http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/MZ/mocambique-lei-n-7-2007-in-portuguese/at_download/file Mozambique Electoral Law: Electoral Law 7/2007, articles 18, 24, 34]</ref>
 *[[Nepal]] (48 hours)
-*[[New Zealand]] (between 00:00 and 19:00 on election day).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/rules/parties/party-secretary-handbook-2011/part-4-election-campaigning.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023170237/http://www.elections.org.nz/rules/parties/party-secretary-handbook-2011/part-4-election-campaigning.html |archive-date=2012-10-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
+*[[New Zealand]] (between 00:00 and 19:00 on election day).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/rules/parties/party-secretary-handbook-2011/part-4-election-campaigning.html |title=Part 4: Election campaigning &#124; Elections New Zealand |access-date=2012-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023170237/http://www.elections.org.nz/rules/parties/party-secretary-handbook-2011/part-4-election-campaigning.html |archive-date=2012-10-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 *[[North Macedonia]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day)
-*[[Pakistan]] (24 hours) <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmGenericPage.aspx?PageID=27= |title=Election Commission of Pakistan}}</ref>
+*[[Pakistan]] (24 hours) <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmGenericPage.aspx?PageID=27=|title=ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan|website=www.ecp.gov.pk|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref>
-*[[Paraguay]] (48 hours) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/desde-medianoche-rige-la-veda-electoral-93134|title=Desde medianoche rige la veda electoral - Paraguay.com|publisher=}}</ref>
+*[[Paraguay]] (48 hours) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/desde-medianoche-rige-la-veda-electoral-93134|title=Desde medianoche rige la veda electoral - Paraguay.com}}</ref>
+*[[Peru]] (24 hours) <ref>{{cite web|url=https://portal.jne.gob.pe/portal_documentos/files/863dcb2e-6e86-4b99-b4f6-985fa81b7d46.pdf|title=Codigo Electoral del Peru}}</ref>
-*[[Philippines]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day. If Election Day is preceded by Holy Week, the ban takes effect on 00:00 of Holy Thursday.)
+*[[Philippines]] (on [[Maundy Thursday]] up to [[Good Friday]], and from 00:00 on the preceding day up to election day. At this time, political campaigns are prohibited.)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-13 |title=Comelec releases calendar of activities for 2022 elections |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/comelec-releases-calendar-of-activities-for-2022-elections/ |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}</ref>
-*[[Poland]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and on the election day)<ref>Kodeks Wyborczy (internetowy system aktów prawnych) [http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/Download?id=WDU20110210112&type=3]</ref> since 1991
+*[[Poland]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and on the election day as long as the polling stations are open)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/Download?id=WDU20110210112&type=3|title=Kodeks Wyborczy (internetowy system aktów prawnych)|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref> since 1991
 *[[Portugal]] (24 hours before, and during the election day)
-*[[Russia]] (24 hours)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/17820|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910162416/http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/17820|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-09-10|title=Russia Today|publisher=}}</ref>
+*[[Russia]] (24 hours)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Election silence starts in Russia before single voting day on September 13 |url=https://tass.com/russia/1200045 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=TASS}}</ref>
-*[[Singapore]] (24 hours) called "cooling-off day", first implemented in 2011<ref>http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_664764.html</ref>
+*[[Singapore]] (24 hours) called "cooling-off day", first implemented in 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_664764.html |title=Dos and Don'ts on Cooling-off and Polling days |website=www.straitstimes.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506093543/http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_664764.html |archive-date=2011-05-06}}</ref>
-*[[Serbia]] (from 00:00 two days before election day)<ref name="serbia">{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraf.rs/vesti/188846-izborna-tisina-pocinje-od-cetvrtka-u-ponoc | title=Izborna tišina počinje od četvrtka u ponoć | publisher=Telegraf | date=1 May 2012 | accessdate=14 December 2014 |trans-title=Election Silence Starts Thursday at Midnight | language=Serbian}}</ref>
+*[[Serbia]] (from 00:00 two days before election day)<ref name="serbia">{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraf.rs/vesti/188846-izborna-tisina-pocinje-od-cetvrtka-u-ponoc | title=Izborna tišina počinje od četvrtka u ponoć | publisher=Telegraf | date=1 May 2012 | access-date=14 December 2014 |trans-title=Election Silence Starts Thursday at Midnight | language=sr}}</ref>
+*[[Slovakia]] (48 hours, both campaigning and polling)<ref>{{cite web |date=14 January 2023 |title=§14 and §17, ZÁKON z 29. mája 2014 o volebnej kampani a o zmene a doplnení zákona č. 85/2005 Z. z. o politických stranách a politických hnutiach v znení neskorších predpisov |url=https://www.slov-lex.sk/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2014/181/20220801?ucinnost=14.01.2023 |publisher=Domov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=a.s |first=Petit Press |title=Volebné moratórium pred komunálnymi a VÚC voľbami 2022 |url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/22896624/komunalne-volby-moratorium.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=domov.sme.sk |language=sk}}</ref>
-*[[Slovakia]] (24hours, polling 14 days before election day.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/22253477/moratorium-prezidentka-caputova-novela.html|title=Domov|publisher=Domov}}</ref>
 *[[Slovenia]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and in the election day until the polling stations close)
 *[[South Korea]] (Election day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 6 days before the election day)
@@ Line 62: / Line 61: @@
 *[[Sri Lanka]] (48 hours before election day)
 *[[Taiwan]] (Election day; releasing opinion polls are prohibited starting from 10 days before the election day)
-*[[Thailand]] (from 18:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.it24hrs.com/2019/election-2562-warning/|title=เลือกตั้ง 2562 ข้อห้าม ในช่วงก่อนเลือกตั้งและวันเลือกตั้ง|language=Thai|publisher=}}</ref>
+*[[Thailand]] (from 18:00 on the preceding day until the polling stations close, alcohol selling ban also applied)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.it24hrs.com/2019/election-2562-warning/|title=เลือกตั้ง 2562 ข้อห้าม ในช่วงก่อนเลือกตั้งและวันเลือกตั้ง|date=11 March 2019|language=th}}</ref>
 *[[Tunisia]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, and in the election day until the polling stations close)
-*[[Ukraine]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, prohibition of agitation on polling stations, external commercials and banners should be removed)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/electoral-silence-in-ukraine-on-saturday-prior-to-parliamentary-election-on-sunday-315034.html|title=Electoral silence in Ukraine on Saturday before parliamentary election on Sunday|publisher=}}</ref>
+*[[Turkey]] (from 18:00 the day before until polling stations close, alcohol selling ban also applied from 22:00 the night before until polling stations close)
+*[[Ukraine]] (from 00:00 on the preceding day, prohibition of agitation on polling stations, external commercials and banners should be removed)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/electoral-silence-in-ukraine-on-saturday-prior-to-parliamentary-election-on-sunday-315034.html|title=Electoral silence in Ukraine on Saturday before parliamentary election on Sunday|work=Kyiv Post|date=27 October 2012}}</ref>
+*[[United Kingdom]]; while polling stations are open, broadcast media cannot report on any campaign activity, and it is forbidden to publish an [[exit poll]] or anything resembling one until voting closes. However, candidates and parties can still campaign (and often do so intensively), and print and digital media have no additional reporting restrictions.<ref name="ofcom">{{cite web |date=29 May 2024 |title=Ofcom's role in a General Election – what you need to know |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/what-we-do/ofcoms-role-in-a-general-election--what-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=1 December 2024 |website=Ofcom |language=en}}</ref>
 *[[Uruguay]] (from 00:00 two days before election day)
-*[[United Kingdom]] (while polling is open)<ref name="ofcom">{{cite web |title=What is Ofcom’s role during a general election? |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/ofcom-role-election |website=Ofcom |accessdate=11 December 2019 |language=en |date=20 November 2019}}</ref>
+===Bulgaria===
-The [[ACE Electoral Knowledge Network]] shows a [http://aceproject.org/epic-en/CDMap?question=ME062 map of blackout periods around the world].
+The [[Constitutional Court of Bulgaria]] ruled in 2009 that both electoral silence and ban on [[opinion polls]] before the election day represented a violation of freedom of speech.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
+===Canada===
+{{See also|Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act|R v Bryan|Thomson Newspapers Co. v. Canada (Attorney General)}}
+It is not permitted to "transmit election advertising to the public in an electoral district on polling day before the close of all of the polling stations in the electoral district".<ref name="CanElectionsActp25"/>
+Prior to the [[2015 Canadian federal election]],<ref name=cbc-blackoutgone15>{{cite news|title=Election night results blackout a thing of the past|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/election-night-results-blackout-a-thing-of-the-past-1.3259787|access-date=17 October 2015|work=CBC News|first=Micki|last=Cowan|date=7 October 2015}}</ref> the distribution of election results in regions of the country where polls have not yet closed was banned, so results from ridings in the Eastern and Atlantic provinces would not influence results in the west.<ref name="CANSC-CBC2007">{{cite news
+| title = Supreme Court upholds blackout on early election night results
+| work= [[CBC News]] | access-date = 2014-11-04
+| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/supreme-court-upholds-blackout-on-early-election-night-results-1.667761
+| date = 2007-06-26}}</ref> This was upheld as lawful in a 2007 decision of the Supreme Court, ''[[R v Bryan]]''.<ref name="CANSC-CBC2007" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2007 |title=R v Bryan, 2007 SCC 12. |url=https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/2348/1/document.do |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117080725/https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/2348/1/document.do |archive-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-format=PDF |access-date=December 21, 2022 |publisher=[[Supreme Court of Canada]] |language=en, fr |format=PDF}}</ref> In January 2012, the Government announced it would repeal the prohibition "[as it] does not make sense with the widespread use of social media and other modern communications technology", upon the urging of the then [[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada|Chief Electoral Officer]], [[Marc Mayrand]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://www.elections.ca/res/his/WEB_EC%2091135%20History%20of%20the%20Vote_Third%20edition_EN.pdf |title=A History of the Vote in Canada |publisher=[[Elections Canada]] |year=2021 |isbn=978-0-660-37056-9 |edition=3rd |location=Gatineau, Quebec |chapter=Advancing Fairness, Transparency and Integrity, 1982–2020 |ref=HistoryoftheVoteCA-Chp4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Employment and Social Development |date=2012-01-13 |title=Harper Government Committed to Repealing Dated Ban on Early Communication of Election Results |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2012/01/harper-government-committed-repealing-dated-ban-early-communication-election-results.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.canada.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Peesker |first=Saira |date=2012-01-13 |title=Feds lifting ban on publishing early election results |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/feds-lifting-ban-on-publishing-early-election-results-1.753239?cache=rhbqjymgiwnvkzqr |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}</ref> It was repealed by the [[Fair Elections Act]] on June 19, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2014 |title=Fair Elections Act • Loi sur l'intégrité des élections |trans-title=Law on the Integrity of Elections |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2014_12/FullText.html |url-status=dead |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=Justice Laws |publisher=[[Parliament of Canada]] |via=[[Department of Justice (Canada)|Department of Justice]] |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221224002/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2014_12/FullText.html }}</ref>
+Although media organisations are not permitted to be present for the count of results or to enter polling rooms, they may shoot video or photos from outside of a polling room as long as the [[Secret ballot|secrecy of the ballot]] is maintained and access to the room is not impeded.<ref>{{Cite web |author-link=Elections Canada |date=2022-12-20 |title=Media at polling places |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&dir=pol&document=index&lang=e |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.elections.ca |publisher=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
+Between 1993 and 1998, the distribution of election surveys 74 hours before election day was banned. This was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada as violating section 1 of the [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]] in ''[[Thomson Newspapers Co v Canada (AG)]]''.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 29, 1998 |title=Thomson Newspapers Co. v. Canada (Attorney General) 1 SCR 877 (1998). |url=https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/1621/1/document.do |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716190356/http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/1621/1/document.do |archive-date=July 16, 2016 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |publisher=[[Supreme Court of Canada]] |language=en, fr |format=PDF |publication-place=Canada}}</ref>
+===Slovenia===
+The [[Constitutional Court of Slovenia]] ruled in 2011 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional.<ref>Decision U-I-67/09 on 24 March 2011</ref>
+Until 2016, any mention of the candidate on the day of election was prohibited. Those who published positive or critical statements about parties or candidates on social media, online forums, or stated them for example in restaurants, were prosecuted and fined.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Socialistični volilni molk |url=https://www.dnevnik.si/1042614965 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=Dnevnik|language=sl}}</ref> For over two decades, media and voters refrained from talking about politics on the day before the elections and on election day. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that "not every opinion is propaganda", published a new definition of the term 'propaganda' and reverted a lower court judgement, which convicted a person who published "Great interview! Worth reading!" on Facebook.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/news-in-english/supreme-court-on-election-blackouts-every-comment-is-not-propaganda/403791|title=Supreme Court on election blackouts: Every comment is not propaganda|website=rtvslo.si|accessdate=18 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/vrhovno-sodisce-o-volilnem-molku-vsaka-izjava-se-ni-propaganda/403756|title = Vrhovno sodišče o volilnem molku: Vsaka izjava še ni propaganda}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://siol.net/novice/slovenija/sodisce-v-casu-volilnega-molka-lahko-govorite-o-kandidatih-426616|title = Pravnik: Volilnega molka v Sloveniji ni več #IzArhiva}}</ref>
+===Hungary===
+The [[Constitutional Court of Hungary]] ruled in 2007 that a ban on opinion polls was unconstitutional, but upheld electoral silence.<ref>Decision 6/2007 (II. 27.) AB on 26. February 2007</ref>
+===United States===
+The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in ''[[Burson v. Freeman]]'' (1992) that campaigning can only be limited on election day in a small area around the polling station. Any broader ban on speech would be unconstitutional.<ref>Burson v. Freeman, 504 U.S. 191 (1992)</ref>
 ==References==
 {{reflist|30em}}
+== External links ==
+* [[ACE Electoral Knowledge Network]] – [https://aceproject.org/epic-en/CDMap?question=ME062 map of blackout periods around the world].
 [[Category:Election campaigning]]