ZESN Report on the 31 July 2013 Harmonised Elections
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 6
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 10
ABOUT ZESN.......................................................................................................................................... 10
METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................... 11
Political Context .................................................................................................................................... 12
THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE .................................................................... 16
Constitutional Guarantees ................................................................................................................ 17
Conduct of the Elections ................................................................................................................... 20
Election Dispute Resolution Mechanisms ......................................................................................... 21
ELECTION MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 23
THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD ................................................................................................................... 25
Political Environment ........................................................................................................................ 27
Voter registration.............................................................................................................................. 28
The Voters’ Roll ................................................................................................................................. 31
Nomination of Candidates ................................................................................................................ 35
Special voting .................................................................................................................................... 38
Postal Voting ..................................................................................................................................... 42
Voter Education .................................................................................................................................... 42
Media Coverage .................................................................................................................................... 44
Campaigning ......................................................................................................................................... 50
Political Party Financing .................................................................................................................... 53
Use of State Resources ..................................................................................................................... 54
Women and Elections ........................................................................................................................... 55
Election Observation ......................................................................................................................... 56
ELECTION DAY ....................................................................................................................................... 58
Polling stations set-up....................................................................................................................... 59
Voting ................................................................................................................................................ 60
Critical Incidents on Election Day...................................................................................................... 63
Counting of ballots at polling stations .............................................................................................. 65
Tabulation of Results ........................................................................................................................ 65
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