15 Oct 2024

Advanced poll for poll staff and police officers deployed to places they are not registered to vote at, as well as Batswana in diaspora, will be on Saturday, consistent with Section 61 of the Electoral Act.

The poll will take place in all the 61 constituencies across the country and various others abroad.

In an interview, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) spokesperson, Mr Osupile Maroba said the poll would go accordingly as dictated by law.

“The law dictates that advanced poll should be held no less than 15 days before the general elections. Our polling stations are ready, and presiding officers for polling stations in the diaspora continue to collect the ballots,” he said.

Mr Maroba said the normal practice was that each constituency would have just one central polling station, adding that it would still be the case this year.

He said candidates were free to come and observe the elections or send their legal agents on their behalf.“Even for the ballots coming from the diaspora, representatives of all registered political parties in Botswana, are invited to come and observe the ballots upon arrival.

When they arrive, they will be dispatched secure, safe and in person by the presiding officers, where they shall be received in the presence of representatives of all those registered political parties,” he said. He said parties would be notified of times and dates of arrival of the ballots rom the diaspora, but said at the moment they could not be certain when they would arrive due to time zone differences.

Concerning polls observation by candidates or their agents, a recent press release from the commission indicated that details as to the exact places to be used as polling stations on the day are provided for in the gazette, which can be obtained from Government Printing and Publishing Services.

The press release also indicated that more information on the arrangement may be obtained immediately from IEC district offices. ENDS