OPINION
By obliging candidates to disclose their positions and be judged on them, the smartvote Tibet campaign shows at a glance comprehensive, comparable, and accessible information about all candidates at one place, enabling voters to know which of them align most – and least – with their values, as exile Tibetans prepare to go to polls for their 2026 elections, writes Chompel Balok.*
At a time when democratic states around the world are being tested and facing authoritarian developments, the elections to the Tibetan Parliament in exile send an important signal to the international community. They demonstrate both internally and externally that democratic values, political rights and procedures, and freedom of will can endure and continue to develop even without a recognised state and as a diaspora scattered across different continents. This is precisely why it is crucial that elections are not emotionalised, personalised or ritualised, but treated for what they are: a serious decision about social values, political content, priorities and responsibilities.
Therefore, smartvote Tibet was launched by a group of Tibetans in 2020 – an adaptation of smartvote, a Swiss digital tool designed to strengthen democratic participation and successfully implemented in elections across Switzerland, Australia, and Europe. Smartvote Tibet allows both candidates and voters to answer the same set of questions on key political, cultural, and social issues. The platform then compares the answers, visually showing, at a glance, where your views overlap or diverge from each candidate’s.
Whether you are a Chithue candidate seeking to reach voters across India, Bhutan, and Nepal, or a Sikyong contender appealing to Tibetans around the world, smartvote Tibet offers visibility and reach beyond geographic boundaries. Instead of relying solely on social media and in-person events, candidates can communicate the positions behind their candidacy.
Publicly answering detailed policy questions is an act of transparency. It builds credibility and trust and offers an opportunity to stand out. By providing substance over slogans, candidates can connect with engaged voters who value informed decision-making and may, in turn, become active supporters.
Since democracy was first introduced in the Tibetan diaspora, the way we access information has changed drastically with the rise of digitalization. Yet even today, learning about a single candidate often means piecing together fragments from interviews, social media posts, and public appearances. Smartvote Tibet changes that. It centralizes comprehensive, comparable, and accessible information about all candidates in just one place.
This not only saves time but also ensures fairness. Understanding how candidates differ on specific issues can be challenging, but smartvote Tibet makes these distinctions visible through a standardized questionnaire that was created with inputs from the Tibetan community in exile, as well as from within Tibet. It helps voters see not only who the different candidates are, but what they truly stand for. Most importantly, the platform doesn’t tell anyone whom to choose; it simply reveals who aligns most and least with your values.
With Tibetan and English versions, plus audio recordings of the questions, the platform also helps overcome language barriers and meets the diverse needs of our global community. This inclusivity strengthens participation and makes democracy even more tangible.
As a Swiss local parliamentarian, I know the advantages of these platforms from my own experience as both a candidate and a voter. In addition to its orientation function, it also serves as a starting point for discussion and ensures transparency. Above all, it obliges candidates to disclose their political positions and be judged on them.
As we approach the 2026 elections, we have an opportunity to improve our democratic process, foster informed decision-making, and make participation more accessible and inclusive than ever. While smartvote Tibet doesn’t replace traditional campaigning or the human connection that underpins political leadership – those remain essential, especially in a community as dispersed as ours – it complements them. Because democracy only works when people can make informed choices.
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“Visit smartvote Tibet at: 2026 Tibetan General Elections“
* Chompel Balok is a Swiss Local Parliamentarian and a member of the country’s Social Democratic Party.