If fairness is absent in both polling and counting, which basis of election becomes weak?

Correct answer: Democratic legitimacy

Answer: A — Democratic legitimacy. An election is democratically legitimate when people can vote freely and when their votes are counted honestly according to known rules. Fair polling protects the voter’s choice; fair counting ensures that the final result reflects those choices. If either stage is unfair, and especially if both are unfair, citizens may reasonably doubt whether the winner received a genuine mandate. Option A is correct because legitimacy means that authority is accepted as lawful and justified by a fair democratic process. B is wrong because campaign style may affect presentation, but it is not the foundation of a valid result. C is wrong because the language used by candidates does not decide whether the procedure is fair. D is wrong because poster design is only a campaign feature. Memory cue: fair voting plus fair counting gives a legitimate result; unfairness weakens legitimacy.