1. Present your ID Card to the Presiding Officer at the Polling Station. If you don't have your ID Card you may still vote, but only after going through the prescribed procedure with the Presiding Officer.
2. After you have done this, you may collect your ballot paper.
3. Proceed behind the screen situated in the polling station.
4. Mark your 'X' clearly for the candidate of your choice in the space provided. Mark your ballot using only the pencil provided.
5. Fold your ballot twice as instructed to protect the secrecy of your vote, leaving the flap out.
6. Give your folded ballot to the Presiding Officer so he/she can detach the flap. The Presiding Officer will NOT open your ballot. Dip your finger in the Electoral Ink to show you have voted.
7. Watch while your unopened ballot is deposited in the box.
8. Leave the vicinity right away in a peaceful manner.
ELECTION LAWS AND PENALTIES
CANDIDATES
Candidates shall not move from Constituency to Constituency on Election Day. Any candidate who breaks this law faces a fine not exceeding $500,000 and in default of payment, imprisonment of up to three years.
A candidate on Election Day can be guilty of an offence where he hires any motor vehicle for the transportation of electors, if such motor vehicle is not registered as an electoral vehicle with the police by notice in writing.
No person shall call together, hold or address any election meeting or hold an election march or election motorcade in any public place within 24 hours of the opening of the poll on Election Day. Persons who break this law face a fine of between $10,000 and $40,000.
No candidate and his indoor agent shall remain together in any Polling Station for more than five consecutive minutes.
PRESIDING OFFICERS
Any Presiding Officer who fails or neglects to perform his duties shall be guilty of an offence.
Upon summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate, a presiding officer guilty of such offence shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for up to twelve months.
SECURITY FORCES
If a member of the security forces willingly fails to give assistance to a Presiding Officer, that member shall be guilty of an offence and faces a fine not exceeding $30,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.
VOTERS
THERE ARE STIFF PENALTIES FOR ELECTION DAY OFFENCES!
Any person who applies for a ballot paper in the name of another person, or who having once voted, tries to vote again is guilty of an offence and faces a fine of between $10,000 and $40,000 or imprisonment of 2-5 years. Any person found guilty of bribery, treating or undue influence on Election Day faces a fine of between $20,000 and $80,000 or imprisonment of 3-5 years.
During voting hours, no person shall:
have in his possession any weapon or noxious substance which is capable of inflicting or causing injury.
Any person found in possession of these is liable to a fine of between $20,000 - $80,000 or to imprisonment of 2-5 years or to both fine and imprisonment.
assemble or congregate within 90 metres of any premises in which is situated any polling station, except it be for the purpose of voting. Offenders face a fine of between $5,000-$20,000 or imprisonment of up to 6 months or to both fine and imprisonment.
In the vicinity of a polling station, seek to influence any elector to vote for any candidate or to ascertain for what candidate any elector intends to vote or has voted for.
Offenders face a fine of not less than $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months; or both a fine and such imprisonment.
VOIDING OF ELECTIONS
An Election Court has been established to void elections on the following grounds:
1. Where the total number of votes cast in a constituency exceeds the number of electors on the official list for that constituency.
2. Where ballot boxes have been stolen, destroyed or tampered with, and the number of electors on the list of electors for the polling station is more than the difference in the number of votes cast for the candidate declared the winner and the candidate who is not declared the winner.
3. Where a Presiding Officer has, under duress, signed ballots and that the number of ballots so signed is sufficient to cast doubt on the majority of votes counted for the candidate declared elected.
4. Where there is an upsurge in violence or any irregularity during Election Day in one or more polling stations which would lead to a substantial distortion or subversion of the process of free and fair election.
HALTING OF ELECTIONS
Elections in a constituency can be stopped if:
polling stations have not opened within the first five hours after the hour fixed for the opening of the poll and the number of electors on the official list in those polling stations constitutes 25 per cent or more of the electors in the constituency.
the occurrence of any earthquake, flood, fire or other natural disaster which could substantially prevent or prejudice the holding of fair elections.
