Electoral legislation changes given the go-ahead

CABINET has approved the tabling of an amendment to the Electoral Act of 1992 and the Constitution in the run-up to national and regional elections in November.

The proposed amendments will provide for the establishment of an Electoral Commission which will control, supervise and co-ordinate all voter education. It will also provide for the creation of the position of a regional co-ordinator to oversee voter registration and electoral processes at regional level.Further amendments will allow for the registration of Namibias diplomatic missions abroad for both elections and a provision to confirm the age of eligible voters during registration in the absence of a birth certificate or identity document.Cabinet noted that fishing companies would have to ensure that their staffs were able to register and vote in elections.In the light of a situation which arose at Grootfontein during the Local Authority Elections in May, an amendment will also have to be tabled to address the issue of what procedure to apply when two or more political parties receive an equal number of surplus voters during local authority and national assembly elections.This amendment will also necessitate an amendment to the Constitution.At its meeting of August 24, Cabinet gave directives that all these amendments be referred to its Committee on Legislation.It will also provide for the creation of the position of a regional co-ordinator to oversee voter registration and electoral processes at regional level.Further amendments will allow for the registration of Namibias diplomatic missions abroad for both elections and a provision to confirm the age of eligible voters during registration in the absence of a birth certificate or identity document.Cabinet noted that fishing companies would have to ensure that their staffs were able to register and vote in elections.In the light of a situation which arose at Grootfontein during the Local Authority Elections in May, an amendment will also have to be tabled to address the issue of what procedure to apply when two or more political parties receive an equal number of surplus voters during local authority and national assembly elections.This amendment will also necessitate an amendment to the Constitution.At its meeting of August 24, Cabinet gave directives that all these amendments be referred to its Committee on Legislation.