Abstracts, ID copies not accepted in voting

Capital FM
Sunday, March 03, 2013

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cautioned voters that police abstracts and photo copies of identification documents will not be accepted during Monday’s voting exercise.

A notice published by the IEBC in the national dailies says voters should carry their original Identification cards (IDs) or valid passports to the polling station.

“You will vote at the station where you were registered as a voter. The name of the station is indicated in your acknowledgement slip issued during registration,” the notice signed by IEBC chairman Issack Hassan reads.

Polling stations are expected to open at 6am and close at 5pm. However, if there are voters in the queue at 5pm, voting will be extended to accommodate them.

“If for whatever reason the opening of a station is delayed or voting interrupted, the presiding officer shall ensure that the lost time is fully recovered commensurately extending the voting period,” the notice reads.

The commission has asked voters to turn out in large numbers and to remain peaceful during the voting exercise. The Inspector General of Police, David Kimaiyo, has also cautioned voters against hanging around polling stations after they cast their ballots.

Official campaigns effectively ended on Saturday and IEBC reiterated in their notice that it is an electoral malpractice to campaign after this deadline, “Candidates and their supporters are warned it’s an election offence to campaign by directly soliciting vote or by distributing or displaying campaign materials including branded vehicles, attires or give-aways.”

Voters will be issued with six ballots for the positions of President, Governor, Senator, Member of Parliament, County Women Representative and County Ward Assembly Representative.

Once voting ends, tallying will be done at the polling station and results relayed to the national election centre at the Bomas of Kenya.

“To promote transparency and public participation in elections, the IEBC will provide giant screens at the constituency and county tallying centres for the public to follow the inflow of results for various elective positions,” the notice concludes.

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