13,000 people could not vote in special voting exercise - EC

Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Serebour Quaicoe, has said 13,000 of the expected 109,577 voters were unable to vote in the special voting exercise on December 1.

Dr Quaicoe explained that they could not vote because they (voters) went to the wrong polling stations to cast their ballots.

“We have already lost 13,000 people. Some people went to certain polling stations they thought they can vote there while they are not registered voters in the constituency.

“We have been engaging them [security personnel] for more than three months now and we have been hitting on these issues that once you have not applied for transfer then your name will be in the constituency where you registered. So, don’t be surprised that on December 7, some of these complaints will come up,” Dr Quaicoe is quoted in a report by Joy News.

According to the report, the EC Director of Electoral Services made the comment on Newsfile on Saturday.

Dr Quaicoe said these voters lost the opportunity to vote because their details had been entered into the absentees’ list.

The special voting exercise was to allow registered voters who will not be able to present themselves at their polling stations on the main election day because of the roles they play in the elections to vote on a date before the rest of the electorate vote on the date set for the election.

Persons who qualify to vote under the special voting dispensation include members of the security services and agencies, personnel of the National Ambulance Service, accredited media persons, the National Media Commission and staff of the EC.