ZESN Report on the 31 July 2013 Harmonised Elections to note that people that are illiterate but can see are able to see symbols and faces of party candidates on the ballot paper and as such are able to mark the ballot beside the candidate of their choice. In other countries such as Rwanda, people that cannot read or write vote using the thumb soaked in ink on the person of their choice on their own without assistance and the secrecy of their vote is respected. The table below shows the distribution of voters turned away and assisted to vote by province:59 Table: 12 PROVINCE Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West VOTERS TURNED AWAY 11 388 64 483 42 525 18 517 20 464 56 733 Masvingo 29 292 Matabeleland North 14 424 Matabeleland South 11 521 Midlands 35 543 TOTAL 304 890 TOTAL VOTES CAST 3 480 047 Total per cent 8.7 per cent Source: Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ASSISTED VOTERS 2 313 4 089 31 277 34 044 27 974 23 166 34 950 14 314 9 462 25 312 206 901 3 480 047 5.9 per cent At more than 96 per cent of polling stations voting proceeded smoothly without undue interference or disruption such that at the official closing time of 7pm, 82 per cent of all stations nationwide did not have any voters waiting to vote. Where there were still queues most were allowed to vote. One disturbing aspect of the election noted by observers was the fact that police officers were stationed inside many polling stations despite the electoral law stipulating that the police should be stationed within the vicinity of the polling stations. This was a potential source of intimidating voters. ZESN notes that this misdemeanour was mainly due to the fact that ZEC’s own training manuals and the polling station layouts given to polling agents and observers showed the police being stationed inside polling stations. In rural areas too, traditional leaders were observed marshalling their people to come 59 Zimbabwe Electoral Commission unverified statistics published in the Herald 62 | P a g e