Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau (standing), flanked by Commissioners Bessie Nhandara (left), Theophilus Gambe and her deputy Mrs Joyce Kazembe, speaks during a political parties’ meeting in Harare on April 22, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Special voting dates announced
Wednesday, 03 July 2013 02:06
Felex Share Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has set July 14 and 15 as the days on which special voting will take place in 209 polling stations that have been set up countrywide for the exercise. Special voting, done in terms of Section 81A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), is meant to afford those who would be on duty on voting day the chance to cast their ballots.
Thousands of people have applied for authority to cast special votes and ZEC has since invited political parties, independent candidates and observers wishing to observe the processing of the applications.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Lovemore Sekeramayi yesterday said special voting would include election officials and members of the uniformed forces.
“All members of the uniformed forces fall into this category as well as election officials who will be on duty on the actual polling day. There are also civil servants who will be deployed far from their wards and they also fall under special voting,” he said.
“We are also looking at postal voting which gives a chance to those who are outside the country but on Government business.
“These include diplomats and their wives as well as officers on peace-keeping missions.”
Mr Sekeramayi said to be considered for special voting one had to be a registered voter.
“In terms of Sections 73 and 81C of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), those who want to be considered for special voting fill in forms and as a Commission we look at the applications and see if the applicant is on the voters roll.
“An unregistered voter is not allowed to cast a vote,” he said
“The deadline for receiving applications was last Sunday and all I can say is we have received a lot of applications which we are screening. The number of those who will vote will be known at a later stage because some of the forms will have mistakes and some will be turned down so it is difficult to have a number at this stage.”
Mr Sekeramayi said those wishing to observe the processing of special and postal vote papers were free to do so.
“Processing of these applications commenced on July 1 at the Harare International Conference Centre and all political parties and observers are welcome to send representatives,” he said.
“If a political party, independent candidate or observer fails to send representatives to observe this process that will not stop ZEC from proceeding.”
The successful nomination process held last Friday has triggered a number of processes as Zimbabweans gear for the harmonised elections scheduled for July 31.
Several parties and independent candidates filed their nomination papers for the polls.
Training of polling agents began yesterday and ZEC announced on Monday that it was ready for the polls and now awaits the release of funds from Treasury for voting material and allowances for polling officers.
At least US$130 million is needed to elect a President, National Assembly and Senate members as well as councillors.
ZEC chief inspector and team leader for the special vote Mrs Jane Chigidji yesterday said 120 000 forms for the special vote had been distributed. She said they hoped to complete the processing of vote papers by July 8.
“What we are doing now is to check if the applicants meet the requirements. We have set ourselves a target of completion by July 8 before the ballots are sent out to the respective wards ahead of the votes on July 14 and 15,” she said.
They would be counted with other votes that would be cast on July 31 when the generality of Zimbabweans go to the polls.
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