Voting procedure as released
by the
MALAWI ELECTORAL COMMISSION
1999 Parliamentary and
Presidential elections
TO VOTE IS
SIMPLE
FOLLOW THESE
STEPS:
VOTER IDENTIFICATION
Go to the centre where you registered and be sure you have
your Voter Registration Certificate with you. Ask any Polling Center Officer
to show you to your Polling Station. However, if you lost your Registration
Certificate and you did not get a DUPLICATE you should go to the
centre where you registered and you will be allowed to vote if your Record
Card is found in the Record Cards.
INK STAINING
After satisfying the Poll Clerk above, you will proceed to
the next table where another clerk will inspect your hands for ink in case
you will have voted elsewhere before then. The ink is put on everyone’s
finger when they vote. If your hands show no ink, the official will ask
you to dip your right index finger in the indelible ink. The ink ensures
you do not vote twice. It is an offence for trying to vote more than once.
THE BALLOT PAPER
At the next table you will be given the National Assembly
Ballot Paper, which will have three columns as follows:-
-
The names of the candidates in alphabetical order by surname
and their photographs;
-
The abbreviation of the names of the parties and their symbols;
and
-
The third column for making a mark for the candidate of your
choice.
Go into the National Assembly Voting Booth with your ballot
paper. Study your ballot carefully and decide for whom you will place the
"X"
Mark "X" in the third column next to the National Assembly
candidate for whom you have decided to vote. Ensure your mark neatly fits
into the square.
When you have made your choice, fold your ballot paper
to keep your vote secret, walk out of the booth and place the ballot in
the Ballot Box marked National Assembly Election outside the booth.
To vote for your presidential candidate, you must:-
-
Repeat ink staining but on the left index finger now;
-
Receive the Presidential Ballot Paper;
-
Go into the Presidential Voting Booth;
-
Mark the ballot paper for the candidate of your choice;
-
Place the ballot in the ballot box for Presidential Election
outside the booth.
Exit the polling station and go outside of the outer boundaries
(100 metres) of the polling station.
Remember that your vote
is a secret
because no one else but
you know for
whom you have voted.
It is an offence
to tell anyone or for
anyone to ask you
whom you have voted.
A leaflet with these messages
was sponsored by PAC-NICE for civic education