A free and fair election is defined as an election in which "coercion is comparatively uncommon". This definition was popularized by political scientist Robert Dahl. A free and fair election involves political freedoms and fair processes leading up to the vote, a fair count of eligible voters who cast a ballot, a lack of electoral fraud or voter suppression, and acceptance of election results by all parties. An election may partially meet international standards for free and fair elections, or may meet some standards but not others.

Factors

A 2016 study evaluated ten dimensions of the conduct of elections between 1975–2011: The V-Dem Democracy Indices codes free and fair elections separately from the extent of suffrage.

Around the world

The study of 169 countries from 1975 to 2011 estimated that only about half of elections were free and fair. The study wondered whether the increase in non-democratic regimes holding elections over time alongside a rise in global efforts around election observation led to a rise in the proportion of elections that were deemed to not be free and fair. The presence of election monitors and constraints on executive power were associated with a 31% higher probability of a free and fair elections in the study.