Electorates are a vital part of any democratic election. This is because their decision – made known through voting – determines who governs a democratic country from one election to another.
It has been argued that civil and voter education is at the centre of the participatory governance process; hence, it is pivotal to any electoral process’s success.
With just a few days to the Sierra Leone election – scheduled for June 24 – it is crucial that voters are adequately informed about the voting process, rights and responsibilities on election day.
A report by the United Nations Development Programme noted that one of the challenges identified by election observers in Sierra Leone’s last election was the issue of voter education. Hence, the reason for this article.
Electoral officials and party agents have been equipped with certain powers to control the conduct of others at the polling centres. However, there are certain practices forbidden by the law for these officials.
DUBAWA has highlighted some malpractices that electoral officials and party agents may be engaged in to enable voters to know what is expected of these officials and raise the alarm where necessary.
- Shoddy accreditation process:
According to Section 72(1) of the Public Elections Act of 2022, the Presiding Officer or Polling Assistant must accredit all voters before allowing them to cast their votes. The law states that voters may cast their ballots in the centres where they have been registered. Thus, the electoral officer must check the voter register to ascertain whether the voters are registered in the polling station.
In addition, the PO checks against the name, picture, voter’s serial ward number, and address against the voter’s registration card presented by the voter. It is also important that the PO ensures the voter has not already cast his votes by checking his finger for indelible ink. Only after this does the PO issue a ballot paper to the prospective voter.
Also, the Presiding official must appropriately accredit the election observers and polling agents/party agents before allowing them into the polling station, as stated in Section 69 (4) of the Public Elections Act.
Failure to do this on the part of the election officials should raise questions from concerned voters.
- Failure to allow people to cast their vote
The voting time for the presidential and parliamentary elections is from 7 am to 5 pm, as explained in the Public Elections Act. Section 50(2) explains that “voting at a polling station shall not be closed until the registered voters present inside the polling station or waiting
in line outside the polling station at the time specified in subsection (1) have cast their vote.”
In a situation where the Presiding Officer or any electoral official disenfranchises voters, it is advisable to call the attention of the appropriate authority.
- Interference by polling agents
A polling agent is a person appointed by either a political party or an independent candidate to observe polling in a polling station on their behalf.
Section 69 (5a) states that polling units must not interfere with the voting at the polling station. A polling agent who communicates with a voter after the latter secures the ballot paper and before casting his vote has contravened this section 123 (3), which stipulates that “ (3) A person, other than a Presiding Officer or a person authorised by him, who communicates with a voter after the voter has received a ballot paper and before the voter has placed the ballot paper in a ballot box, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than 20,000 Leones or to imprisonment for a term of 5 years or to both the fine and imprisonment.”
The presiding officer can report any polling agent interfering with the voting procedure, except in peculiar circumstances.
Section 69 (5) (b) further states that a polling agent must not do any form of canvassing at the polling station or display anything which indicates that he is a representative of a particular political party or candidate. Section 136 (1) describes this as an offence, and the offender is liable on conviction to a fine not less than 5,000 Leones or to imprisonment for a term not less than 12 months or to both. Electorates who identify such malpractices must raise the alarm to allow for proper punishment of such polling agents.
- Assistive voting without a reason
The Public Elections Act 2022 has provisions for assistive voting for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). This is contained in section 72 (1) (i) of the Act. The presiding officer can permit a voter who is physically disabled to be accompanied into the Polling Unit and be assisted to vote by a person chosen by him or her. Also, the electoral officer is required to explain the voting procedure to a person who can neither read nor write; such a person can vote by inputting a fingerprint mark in the square corresponding to the candidate for whom he wishes to vote after dipping his finger in the ink which shall be placed for this purpose in the voting booth. While assistive voting is permitted for those who are physically disabled, the same does not apply to those who cannot read or write.
- Identity tags and uniforms
The National Electoral Commission of the Republic of Sierra Leone provides official aprons and ID cards/tags to officials on election day for proper identification. Considering the important role of the election officials and the sensitive nature of the materials under their charge, they must carry their identity tags throughout the whole process. Any election official who does not have his identity tag may be an impersonator. The NEC document further stipulates that every other category must present and wear accreditation cards/badges issued by NEC. Also, the police must wear their official uniforms and display ID cards.
