Name of the Organization : Independent National Election Commision
Type of Facility : Continuous Voter Registration 2015
Country : Nigeria
Website : http://www.inecnigeria.org/
Related : INEC Nigeria Registered Voters Transfer Procedure : www.statusin.org/3645.html
Continuous Voter Registration :
** CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday 28th November 2012, disclosed that the commission will commence a continuous Voter registration exercise nationwide ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Voter must be a Nigerian citizen.
** Professor Jega, who disclosed this in Abuja, at a two day workshop for civil society organisations on plans and progress towards the 2015 general election, said the commission had concluded arrangements to issue permanent voter cards to over 73.52 million certified voting age captured at the voters registration exercise of 2011, which he assured would last till the 2019 general election.
** He explained that the commission had to stop the registration at the wake of the Edo State governorship election, because of the controversies it generated.
** He said the commission now had a reliable database, which would allow for constant upgrading and debunked the speculations in some quarters that the commission would be demanding for a huge amount of money from the government for the possible procurement of Direct Data Capturing.(DDC) machines for the exercise, saying the commission had more than enough DDC machines in stock
Voting :
** Voting will take place on a date to be determined by the INEC.
Accreditation :
** Polling units will be open from 8 am.
** Polling units will open at 8 am for Accreditation and close at 12 noon.
** Voting starts 12 :30 pm.
** You must vote in the same Polling Unit you completed your Voter Registration.
The Voter- Who Is He/she :
** S/He is 18 years and above.
** S/He has registered in the constituency where he intends to vote.
** S/He possesses a registration card obtained during voters’ registration.
How Voter Can Verify Registration :
** A voter is expected to check the register of voters to ascertain that his name is included.
** That his name was correctly spelt and written.
** This is done when the register is displayed for inspection.
Persons Who Cannot Vote :
** The following persons cannot vote at election.
** All persons below the age of 18 years.
** All non-Nigerians.
** All persons who did not register as voters.
** All persons who do not hold a voter registration card.
** All persons whose names are not in the voters register.
Where To Vote :
** Voting takes place at polling stations/units.
** A voter is expected to cast his vote at the polling unit where his name is on the voter register.
** A voter is expected to identfy his polling station where his name is on the voter register.
** A polling unit nearest to the residence of the voter.
How To Vote :
** Voting will be by Open Secret Ballot System.
** Your vote is secret because no one will see which candidate you choose.
** You will mark your ballot behind a polling screen secretly.
** Apply your finger print only in one circle/space which corresponds to the candidate of your choice.
Procedure : Preparing For Voting:
** The Presiding Officer (PO) shall :
** Explain the voting procedure to the voters.
** Invite all voters accreditated to form a single queue.
** Where culture does not allow men and women to mingle in a queue, separate queues are created for men and women.
** The PO shall count loudly the number of accredited voters in the queue, and record the number.
Commencement Of Voting :
** At the commencement of voting, the PO shall :
** Invite the voters on queue to approach the poll clerk (PC) in an orderly manner.
** On presentation of voter’s card, the PC shall :
** Check appropriate cuticle thumbnail of voter and when he is satisfied that the person has been duly accredited.
** Tick the voters’ register on the right hand side of voter’s name.
** Indicating that he has voted.
** Apply indelible ink on the cuticle of the voter’s appropriate thumbnail.
** The Poll Assistant (PA) shall apply ink to the next finger of the respective hand
** Voters who have no Right/Left hand, the PA shall :
** Apply the ink to the corresponding toes of the voter’s Right/Left foot.
** Voters have neither fingers nor toes :
** Ink shall be applied on the corresponding toes of the persons assisting them.
Issuance Of Ballot Paper And Voting :
** The voter shall present himself to the Polling official (PO).
** The PO shall stamp and sign the back of ballot paper.
** Fold the ballot paper vertically with the printed side inwards.
** Issue the signed, stamped ballot paper to the voter.
** The voter moves to the voting cuticle.
** Mark the ballot paper in the space provided beside the party logo of the voters’ choice
** Fold the ballot paper.
** Deposit the marked ballot paper into the ballot box.
** Marking of ballot paper by voter must be done in secret.
** Depositing the ballot paper in the ballot box in open view of all persons present.
** Only one voter at a time to the voting cubicle.
Offences On Election Day :
PART VIII SC. 129 (1) states that :
1. No person shall on the date an election is held do any of the following acts or things in a polling unit or within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit-
(a) Canvass for votes;
(b) Solicit for the vote of any voter
(c) Persuade any voter not to vote for any particular candidate;
(d) Persuade any voter not to vote at any election;
(e) Shout slogans concerning the election;
(f) Be in possession of any offensive weapon or wear any dress or have any facial or other decoration which in any event is calculated to intimidate voters;
(g) Exhibit, wear or tender any notice, symbol photograph or party card referring to the election;
(h) Use any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a political party by any means whatever;
(i) Loiter without lawful excuse after voting or after being refused to vote;
(j) Snatch or destroy any election materials; and
(k) Blare siren
Note :
Any person who contravens any of the provisions of this section commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for 6 months for every such offence”.
INEC Citizens Contact Centre :
The Centre can be accessed through telephone lines, Facebook, Twitter and INEC’s website.
Phone numbers : 07098116381, 07098115257, 07098117563 and 07098110916.
Facebook : facebook.com/inecnigeria (INEC Nigeria)
Twitter handle : @inecnigeria