EC to release new voters’ register to parties by November 11

The Electoral Commission (EC) says it will release copies of the new voter register by November 11.

With the country’s leading opposition party, the National Democratic accusing the electoral body of failing to live up to convention, the commission has indicated that the register should be ready by that date.

Speaking on Joy News, the commission’s Director of Elections, Dr Serebour Quaicoe told Joy FM that the EC would release the register a month to the elections.

“We could have even given them out earlier but because we should finish with the transfers and special voters’ compilation before we can give the register out,” he said.

The General Secretary of the NDC on Monday chastised the commission for opening nominations when it was yet to release the register to the parties as had been convention over the years.

Per his interpretation, the filing of nominations could not be valid because the EC has not completed the registration and compilation of the final register.

His case was that before a candidate filed his or her nomination, he or she must be a registered voter with his or name captured in the final register.

“We have not completed the registration exercise. We do not have a final register and so, who are those going to file their nominations and what would be the basis for them to file? Are they going to file with a provisional register?” he said.

The EC opened nominations from October 5 to 9, asking interested political parties and independent candidates to officially put themselves up for the December polls.

Meanwhile, the  Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has also urged the EC to ensure that the final register is given out to all parties ahead of time.