KEETMANSHOOP – The Electoral Commission of Namibia in the //Kharas region said voter education officers are continuously educating eligible voters on how to cast their votes on ballot papers ahead of the regional council and local authority elections this month.
“As opposed to last year’s elections, voters will no more cast their votes on electronic voting machines but rather cross their preferred choices of candidates on ballot papers as was announced by ECN,” explained regional coordinator Augustinus Ucham.
He said the provision will be made through special arrangements to allow those election officials and members of the Namibian Police Force performing election-related duties outside their constituencies to vote at their duty stations accordingly.
“This ‘special voting day’, slated for 23 November 2020, will allow for instance an official/police officer who registered in Berseba constituency to vote in Keetmanshoop rural constituency regardless of the Electoral Act (Act no. 5 of 2014) provision indicating that you can only vote in the constituency where you were registered for regional-council and local authority elections,” he said.
In terms of compliance to the laid down Covid-19 regulations, Ucham said all health protocols will be strictly adhered to on the days of voting.
“Nobody will be allowed in polling stations without wearing a mask, whilst social distancing will be maintained both inside and outside venues,” he then explained.
He added a Covid-19 controller will be stationed at the entrance point at polling stations, whose duties will be to take body temperatures, sanitise and register all voters entering the venue.
“In addition, we will disinfect all polling stations in advance and also sanitise voters’ hands when moving from one operational point to another in venues,” he said.
Ucham also said those voters who lost their voter registration cards after the recent supplementary registration of voters exercise will not be denied their democratic right to vote during the envisaged elections.
“Provision will be made for those who lost their cards and those with cards destroyed beyond recognition will be issued with duplicate voter registration cards in order to cast their votes.”
A total of 56 594 voters have registered to vote for the upcoming elections in //Kharas, according to Ucham.
He further indicated that in total, 87 teams of officials will be performing duties in //Kharas during elections.
– sklukowski@nepc.com.na