HARARE – The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is printing 7,126,600 ballot papers against a voting population of 6,623,511 eligible to take part in next Wednesday’s harmonised elections.
This was revealed in a Friday notice by the poll management authority’s chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana concerning data on balloting material set to be used in the crucial poll.
Silaigwana also said 7,098,750 ballot papers were being printed for the national assembly vote while 6,854,259 were set for local authority polls.
ZEC said the balloting material was being printed at Mining and Printing Company of Zimbabwe (MPCZ) which is found at Number 1, George Drive, Msasa, Harare.
Silaigwana said “a total of seven million one hundred and twenty-six thousand, six hundred (7,126,600) presidential ballot papers” were being printed.
“…Seven million and ninety-eight thousand, seven hundred and fifty (7,098,750) national assembly ballot papers, and;
“…Six million eight hundred and sixty-one thousand, six hundred and fifty (6,861,650) local authority ballot papers have been printed for the conduct of elections on the 23rd of August 2023.”
The top ZEC official said the numbers of ballot papers allocated to each province were as specified in the published schedule.
He said ZEC calculated a 3 percent contingency for each polling station.
Silaigwana also explained reasons behind the differences in the number of ballot papers being printed for the three-tier election.
“With respect to the national assembly election an independent candidate for Gutu West National Assembly passes away and the election will be conducted on a later date,” he said.
“…With respect to the local authority election, no election will be held in 91 wards because the candidates for those wards were returned unopposed and while 4 candidates passed away and the ward elections will be conducted on a later date.”
Silaigwana said for the presidential ballot papers, there is a total of 6,623,511 voters with ZEC factoring in a 7, 6 percent contingency.
For the national assembly ballot papers, there is a total of 6,597,865 voters. ZEC factored in 7, 6 percent contingency.
For local authority elections, a total of 6,604,462 voters and a contingency of 3, 5 percent was calculated.
Postal voting has already commenced with police officers voting ahead of the plebiscite.
The window is extended to citizens who carry out essential services on voting day.
These include members of the security forces and healthcare workers.
