Clause 2 The second clause proposes to repeal and substitute section 24(1) of the Electoral Act. The new section removes the provision that requires the voter registration officer to fill the claimant’s form for voter registration on behalf of a potential voter. The proposed amendment must be considered progressive as it now provides for an efficient, expedited and simpler process for voter registration compared to the current provision of the Electoral Act. The current provision in the Act places an obligation on the voter registration officer to complete the prescribed form on behalf of any person wishing to be registered as a voter. Such a process results in bureaucratic processes causing unnecessary delays and bottlenecks to the voter registration processes. A further concern previously raised has been that the formulation of Section 24(1) is deliberate to serve profiling and intimidatory purposes. The amendment in the bill would serve to address the twin concerns outlined above. The new provision is consistent with Section 155(2) (b) of the Constitution that places an obligation on the State to take appropriate legislative measures to ensure that all eligible voters are registered as voters. It also resonates with the spirit of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing the Conduct of Democratic Elections. Clause 3 4|Page Recommendation For the avoidance of doubt, it may be necessary to include a specific provision in the Act or in subsidiary regulations that sets out the process of accessing and the submission of the registration form by a claimant. The provisions can, for example, set out where the registration forms may be accessed either through physical or online means. Clause 3 introduces a new Clause 3 amends section 25 of the Electoral Act to make it consistent with the proposed procedure to be followed amendment to Section 24 of the Principal Act as explained above and brings uniformity to by a claim for transfer by the provisions related to the process of voter registration set out in the two sections. a voter from one constituency to another Clause 3 also amends Section 24(5) by the deletion of "the Registrar-General of Voters" and AN ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILL ©ZESN 2017