aliens, attempting to vote in the wrong wards, being registered in other wards where one used to live prior to being resettled or relocating, use of identification documents which were defaced and not originals and names not appearing on the voters’ roll. Voters did not seem to appreciate the Ward based voters’ roll and the Ward boundaries. This could be attributed to limited voter education or the voters failing to fulfil their duty of checking for their names on the voters’ roll prior to the day of the election. 6.8 The elections were held on a school day. It was observed that schools that were being used as polling stations were open as usual in some areas whilst in others they were open until around 11am ( or up to lunch time) on the day preceding the election thereby hampering the preparatory work of polling officers. However, the schools hosting polling stations were all closed on Election Day, while the rest of schools not involved in polling activities carried on with their usual programmes. 6.9 In Hurungwe West, some polling agents of the independent candidate alleged that in some polling stations suspected ZANU PF supporters and village heads were recording the details of voters before they arrived at a polling station and after the voters had cast their votes. There were also reports that traditional leaders escorted their subjects to vote on the Election Day in violation of the Electoral Act. 6.10 The ZHRC also noted the general low voter turnout within the urban areas such as in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. In rural areas, Tsholotsho, Headlands, Hurungwe West Constituencies there was a reasonable increase in turnout compared to that in the urban areas. 6.11 The process of verification of the ballot papers and counting took place at the respective polling stations. All observers confirmed that the verification exercise was conducted smoothly in almost all the polling stations monitored. The counting was concluded quicker in urban areas due to fewer ballots and took longer in rural areas where there were slightly more ballots cast. Page 11 of 15