3. In this respect, along with other elements of the electoral framework, electoral justice represents the ultimate guarantee of free, fair and genuine elections (and referendums) in keeping with the established electoral law. Accordingly, the design of an appropriate electoral justice system (EJS) is fundamental to democratic legitimacy and the credibility of electoral processes. 4. In democracies, electoral justice plays a decisive role in ensuring the stability of the political system and adherence to the legal framework, and thus also contributes to the consolidation of democratic governance. The role of electoral justice, although not new, has become recognized as a crucial factor in all democracies, whether emerging or established. Table  1.1 lists some relevant examples where the presence or absence of a robust EJS has been critical. Table 1.1. Some critical rulings by electoral justice systems 2 Country Year Ruling/decision by Outcome of ruling United States 2000 Supreme Court Final suspension of manual recount of votes in some districts of the state of Florida Spain 2003 Constitutional Court Declared certain political parties illegal due to possible ties with terrorism Ukraine 2004 Supreme Court Annulment of presidential election Taiwan 2004 Supreme Court Validated total recount of the national vote ordered by the Taipei High (appellate) Court United Kingdom 2005 European Court of Human Rights General prohibition preventing persons serving prison sentences from voting in parliamentary and local elections in the UK was in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights Nicaragua 2005 Inter-American Court of Human Rights Limitations in the electoral law whereby only those candidates nominated by political parties can participate in municipal elections held in indigenous communities is in violation of the American Convention on Human Rights Costa Rica 2006 Supreme Elections Court Total recount of votes for all presidential elections as mandated by law Mexico 2006 Electoral Court of the Judicial Branch of the Federation of Mexico Recount of votes ordered in presidential election for more than half of the polling stations for which it was requested Turkey 2007 Constitutional Court Annulment of the presidential election results Colombia 2009 Council of State Annulment of the 2006 Senate election due to irregularities in the counting of votes, and the ordering of a new count Thailand 2007 Constitutional Court Dissolution of Thaksin Shinawatra’s party (Thai Rak Thai)