f.
Polling agents of candidates are afforded an opportunity to subscribe
their signatures thereto before the announcement and display of the
results;
g.
The Polling station return with all three results including the signatures
of officials and polling agents is on a Form called V.11;
h.
Each candidate’s agent is given a copy of the V.11;
i.
The Electoral Act specifically requires the result of each election to be
displayed “outside of the polling station so that it is visible to the public
and shall remain there so that all members of the public who wish to
do so may inspect it and record its contents 10; and
j.
In practice, the above process at every polling station is completed
within twenty-four hours. This is so because there is a maximum
number of voters per polling station [1000 or less].
It appears to the Commission that Presidential results could be available within
twenty-four hours of the close of polls. What seems to be a weakness of the
electoral law is that a result that can be available within twenty-four hours of the
close of the poll, may take up to five (5) days to be declared.
There is no other counting outside a polling station. While counting is completed
within twenty-four hours the movement of papers and figures from a polling
station through various stations up to the National Command Centre can take up
to four (4) days. During this period, political players preaching ‘theft of elections’
may gain momentum and mislead people because most voters neither know nor
appreciate the process after the polling station. From a polling station, the
Commission noted that Presidential results pass through the following:
10
a.
Ward centre;
b.
Constituency centre;
See section 64(1)(e) of the Electoral Act.
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