ZESN Polling Station Analysis
case of urban wards and between 1,001 and 1,500 for rural wards)for which the ZEC may
need to add polling stations.
Overall, 232 of 1,964 (12%) of wards should be reviewed by the ZEC in advance of the
Harmonised Elections with an eye to increase the number of polling stations.
A review of all of 232 wards found that a total of 489 new polling stations should be
created by the ZEC to ensure that all voters have a reasonable opportunity to vote. Nearly
half of the new polling stations need to be created in Harare province (227 or 46%).
Recommendations
The ZEC is the mandated body responsible for determining the number and locations of the polling
stations. The information provided in this report is intended to support efforts by the ZEC to update
the list of polling stations in advance of the Harmonised Elections in the hope that all eligible voters
have a reasonable and equal opportunity to vote.
In order to enhance transparency in the process and to give voters amble opportunity to be
informed about new polling stations, ZESN encourages the Commission to undertake the process
of reviewing the list of polling stations for 2013 Constitutional Referendum as well as to make the
updated list of polling stations for the Harmonised Elections accessible to the public, political
parties and interested stakeholders as soon as possible..
Estimating Eligible Voters for the 2013 Harmonized Elections
In the absence of access to the updated voters’ roll, ZESN used Census data to calculate the
estimated eligible voters per polling station. In December 2012, initial 2012 Census data was
released providing aggregate number of people by ward with a total population of the country of
12,973,808. Eligible voters, however, are only those Zimbabweans who are 18 years or older. Age
structure data for the 2012 Census has not yet been publicly released.
Table 1: 2013 Estimated Eligible Voters by Province
Province
Bulawayo
2012 Census
Population
2002 Estimated
Per cent Eligible
2013 Estimated
Eligible Voters
655,675
56%
367,178
Harare
2,098,199
58%
1,216,955
Manicaland
1,755,000
46%
807,300
Mashonaland Central
1,139,940
48%
547,171
Mashonaland East
1,337,059
48%
641,788
Mashonaland West
1,449,938
49%
710,470
Masvingo
1,486,604
45%
668,972
Matabeleland North
743,871
45%
334,742
Matabeleland South
685,046
45%
308,271
1,622,476
47%
762,564
12,973,808
49%
6,365,411
Midlands
Grand Total
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