By Nasratu Kargbo
The National Elections Watch (NEW) has recommended that Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) should work in tandem with the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) to ensure that inmates at Correctional Centres are registered.
A National Election Watch (NEW) 2023 Electoral Cycle Report launched in Freetown on the 16th April 2024 recommends that inmates be registered to access identification cards.
It further states that ECSL should ensure that voter registration is continuous and should protect and promote the right to vote.
NEW also made other recommendations to ECSL, for the provision of a digital version of the voter register and for citizens to request for amendments to their personal details with relevant supporting documents.
The institution in their report also suggests that “The ECSL should efficiently and accurately disaggregate and publish voter registration and voting data for analysis across different categories of voters, from women to first-time voters and PWDs (persons with disabilities”.
It also says certain provisions in the Public Elections Act (PEA) 2022 are reviewed to include provisions that have to do with the collation process, transmission of results and publication of certified polling station results. “This will allow for the projection of collation figures inputted at the tally centre, with a corresponding accessible online version. These provisions must be brought in tandem with provisions of the constitution” a part of the report reads.
ECSL is asked to display their tally processes and procedures to political parties, international and local observers groups in all their tally centres.
NEW in their report also made recommendations to other stakeholders such as: government, media, international and development partners, political parties, CSOs and the security sector.
According to section 17(C) of the Public Elections Act “A person shall not be registered to vote at a public election or having been registered, be entitled to vote at a public elections if he is serving a sentence of imprisonment”.
In an ensuing panel discussion it was stated that inmates may have committed various crimes which led to their incarceration, but they should have the right to vote as is the case in some other countries.
ECSL and NCRA were advised to establish clear procedures and processes on how they can harmonize the civil register as basis for voter registration.
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