ZESN Report on the 31 July 2013 Harmonised Elections polling stations despite the fact they are only allowed to be inside polling stations at the invitation of the presiding officer but they must generally be within the vicinity of the polling station. ZESN observers reported that 98 per cent of polling stations were set up so that people could vote in secret. At least 12 per cent of polling stations were not easily accessible, including for people living with disabilities. At all polling stations the ballot box was shown to be empty before they were sealed, although in some an accounting of ballot papers was not done as part of the set-up procedure. Voting During voting most polling stations (99 per cent) followed the correct procedures, such as checking for names on the voters’ roll and marking fingers with indelible ink. At 49 per cent of polling stations ZESN observers reported 25 or more potential voters being turned away and not being allowed to vote. The main reasons for being turned away included that they were not on the voters’ roll even though they had voted in previous elections; and that voters had turned up to vote in the wrong wards. Others turned away had voter registration slips but their names were not on the voters’ roll. This problem was much more prevalent in urban areas than rural communities. While ZESN observers reported 25 or more people being turned away at 39 per cent of the country’s rural polling stations, this figure rose to 82 per cent for urban polling stations. At 38 per cent of polling stations 25 or more people were assisted to vote. There was a sharp contrast between urban and rural polling stations. At 49 per cent of rural polling stations more than 25 people were assisted to vote as opposed to just 5 per cent of urban polling stations. This could be due to a number of factors including higher levels of illiteracy, intimidation and forced voting in rural areas. This was more prevalent in areas such as Masvingo, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East. This was rather surprising given Zimbabwe’s claimed 95 per cent literacy rate that so many people would need to be assisted to vote. 60 | P a g e