Which of the following is NOT characteristic of democracy?

Limited franchise is not characteristic of democracy. Democracy is a system of government where the power is vested in the people, and they exercise this power through popular sovereignty, regular elections, and majority rule. The principle of limited franchise, where only a small group of people have the right to vote, is not consistent with the democratic ideal of universal suffrage, where all adult citizens have the right to vote. In a democratic system, every citizen's vote counts, and everyone has the opportunity to participate in the political process through the right to vote.