Election Voting Procedure

To be an eligible voter and be able to exercise your right as a voter, you must have registered for and collected your Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).

Once the above condition has been satisfied, you have the right to:

  • Access your Polling Unit (PU) on election day
  • Check to confirm your name on the voter register pasted at the Polling Unit to ensure that your name is there, to be eligible to vote
  • Get information about the voting procedures from the poll officials
  • Vote your preferred candidate in secret (do not expose your ballot paper)
  • Leave the Polling Unit after voting, or keep a distance from the Polling Unit in an orderly fashion if you choose to wait till the voting process is over
  • Obey all election guidelines and instructions from INEC officials and security personnel in the Polling Unit
  • Access the result which will be pasted at your Polling Unit after the votes have been counted and recorded.

Polling places will open for Accreditation and Voting from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on election days. However, voters who are in line before the polls close at 2:00 pm will be recognized and permitted to cast a ballot.

Voting Procedure:

The procedure for voting at the polling unit is as follows:

Step 1

Go to your registered polling unit and join the queue. An INEC official will check if you are at the correct polling unit and confirm that the PVC presented belongs to you.

Step 2

An INEC official will confirm if your PVC is genuine using the card reader. You will be asked to place your finger on the card reader.

Step 3

An INEC official will ask for your PVC and confirm you are listed in the Voters Register. Your name will be ticked and your finger will be inked to confirm you have voted. If your name is not found you cannot vote.

Step 4

The Presiding officer will stamp, sign and endorse your ballot paper. You will be given the ballot paper rolled with the printed side inwards and directed to the voting cubicle.

Step 5

Stain your finger with the provided ink and mark the box for your preferred candidate/party. Roll the ballot paper in the manner you were given and flatten it.

Step 6

Leave the voting cubicle and drop the ballot paper in the ballot box in full view of people at the Polling Unit.

Step 7

Leave the Polling Unit or wait if you so choose, in an orderly and peaceful manner, to observe the process up to the declaration of the result.

Learn more by visiting INEC's Website

Click here