Postal vote application closes

Image: eNCA

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says Today at 12pm is the last day to receive postal vote applications.

In an interview, ZEC vice chairperson, Commissioner Rodney Kiwa recently said all efforts will be made to make sure polling officers will be recruited and posted in the stations were they are registered to vote, to cancel out the need for postal voting for the officers.

Commissioner Kiwa said they have written to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage as well as Defence and War Veterans Association inviting postal votes applications.

“ZEC has written to Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs and Defence ministries inviting applications for postal voting. Foreign Affairs because of diplomats serving outside the country, Home Affairs because of deployment of ZRP personnel outside the country for peacekeeping operations and immigration because of location of personnel from their preferred polling stations. ZEC makes every effort to recruit polling officers from their local areas where they are registered to cancel out the need for postal voting. Applications for postal voting must be received by ZEC by 5 July,” said Comm Kiwa.

According to section 72 of the Electoral Act, the only people who can vote by post are registered voters who, on polling day, will be unable to vote at their polling station because; they will be on duty as members of a disciplined force [i.e. police officers, prison officers or members of the Defence Forces] or as electoral officers [i.e. employees of ZEC on electoral duty or persons seconded to ZEC to perform electoral duties] they will be outside Zimbabwe in the service of the government [normally as diplomatic or consular officials] or because they are married to such an official.

Meanwhile, ZEC denounced a post circulating on social media allegedly showing total voters, wards and constituencies saying it did not emanate from them.

“This post did not emanate from the ZEC office and the Commission distances itself from such. Members of the public are discouraged from abusing the ZEC logo for personal gains.”

Zwnews