Can declare voting system is functioning (5,6)
I believe the answer is:
state prison
'can' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'declare voting system is functioning' is the wordplay.
'declare' becomes 'state' (I've seen this before).
'voting system' becomes 'PR' (proportional representation).
'functioning' becomes 'on' (I've seen this in other clues).
'state'+'pr'+'is'+'on'='STATE-PRISON'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for state prison that I've seen is " Political stir".)