AP Photo

On October 23, Tunisians will vote for a national constituent assembly in the first competitive elections in the Arab world since historic uprisings swept the region this year. These elections will not only be critical for the future prospects of democracy in Tunisia, but will have implications for the entire Middle East and North Africa. If successful, they will help dispel claims of Arab exceptionalism to democracy, and could set an example for the rest of the region. On the other hand, if problems stemming from these elections were to derail Tunisia’s democratic transition, that could be a considerable setback for democracy across the Arab world.

Despite the significance of this moment, the National Constituent Assembly elections have received very...