Primary Purpose of Voter Registration
Voter registration ensures that everyone entitled to vote can do so. It prevents ineligible persons from voting and guards against multiple voting.
The accuracy of the voter’s register is key in ensuring that all qualified voters enjoy the right to vote. People should not be denied registration as voters on the basis of race, sex, language or religion.
Importance of Voter Registration
Voter registration is important for democracies such as Namibia. The quality of the process can determine the outcome of an election and consequently the stability of democratic institutions.
Trust in democracy is promoted when the voter registration process is open and transparent and allows for the participation of all electoral stakeholders such as political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), the media, security forces, and all potential voters.
An efficient and effective voter registration system requires:
i) The population to be active in reporting changes of residency and other relevant aspects of their civil status;
ii) Eligible voters to be registered within the constituency or local authority where they reside; and
iii) ECN to determine how many ballot papers are to be printed for the planned elections, by knowing the number of voters registered in a constituency or local authority for a particular election.
Types of Registration Processes
An efficient and effective voter registration system requires:
General Registration of Voters (GRV) is provided for in terms of Section 25 of the Electoral Act No. 5 of 2014. This registration takes place every 10 years and provides for the total registration of eligible voters, regardless of whether they had been registered as voters in the past or not, and requires the discarding of existing national voters registers.
Supplementary Registration of Voters (SRV) is provided for in terms of Section 38 of the Electoral Act No. 5 of 2014. This registration takes place between the ten-year GRV period and before the holding of an election. This registration is determined by the President, upon recommendation of the ECN, and is occasioned in a constituency
by an occurrence of a vacant representation seat due to the death, incapacity, or resignation of a sitting councillor; the dissolution of a sitting council as provided for under the Local Authority act; or the proclamation of a new local authority area, town or village councils.
The purpose of supplementary registration before the holding of an election is to register those who have since turned 18 years of age; those who moved to another constituency/local authority area; those whose voter registration cards are lost or damaged; and any other applicant persons who qualify for registration.
Continuous Registration of Voters (CRV) is provided for in terms of Section 39 of the Electoral Act No. 5 of 2014. This registration of voters takes place throughout a calendar year and allows persons who qualify to register as voters but were not registered during GRV or SRV, and voters who have since moved from one constituency/ local authority to another, or voters whose cards have since been lost or destroyed, to be registered as voters at any time of their request, except in suspension periods during an election or by-election.
Persons who can register as voters in Namibia
Section 22 of the Electoral Act provides the following criteria for persons to register as voters in Namibia:
i) Be a Namibian citizen;
ii) 18 years or older; and
iii) Be able to identify him/herself physically and by providing the required documents
To register as a voter in a local authority area, a person must have resided in the jurisdiction of that specific local authority for a period of consecutive 12 months immediately before the registration. Every person who wants to register as a voter must present proof of identity, age, and Namibian citizenship at the registration venue.
Registration of Voters Outside Namibia
In terms of Section 23 of the Electoral Act, Namibian citizens temporarily residing outside the country are allowed to register for Presidential and National Assembly elections only. Temporary registration points may be established at any Namibian diplomatic mission.
The Voters’ Register
A Voters’ Register is a list containing the names of all registered voters in all constituencies and local authority areas. The Electoral Act requires the ECN to compile and maintain two registers:
i) A National Voters Register compiled on a constituency basis of all voters in the country;
ii) A Local Authority Voters Register of voters registered in each local authority area.
Preparation and Publication of Provisional Voters Register
In terms of Section 31 of the Electoral Act, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) must prepare a National Provisional Voters Register (PVR), in respect of voters registered in a constituency or local authority area. This PVR must contain the names, residential addresses, and voter’s registration numbers. The PVR is published as per the timeframes provided for in the Electoral Act No.5 of 2014 as a notice in the government gazette specifying the:
i) Places and times during which copies of the provisional registers are available for inspection by registered voters; and
ii) Period within which objections may be made in respect of the names of voters appearing on any such register.
The Chief Electoral Officer must avail upon request to every registered political party or organisation, a copy of the provisional national or local authority voters register.
Objections Against Names Included in a Provisional Voters Register
In terms of section 32 of the Electoral Act, registered persons, political parties or organisations/associations may lodge an objection in writing to the electoral tribunal (designated magistrate offices) against the inclusion of the name of any other person on that register on the grounds that the person is not entitled or qualified to be registered as a voter or is not complying with the requirements in relation to residence. This should be done within the prescribed period of 14 days, after the publication of the provisional voters register.
Preparation, Certification and Publication of the Voters Register
In terms of section 36 of the Electoral Act, the Commission must publish a notice in the Gazette stating that a voters register has been completed and certified by the Commission; and specify the places where copies are kept for public inspection.
Upon the publication of the notice, the ECN’s Chief Electoral Officer must avail, free of charge to every political party, a copy of the voters register.
