Candidates sign off on voter lists

Representatives of both candidates have completed signing the voter lists to be used at polling stations, the Elections Commission said Wednesday.

The EC told the media that neither side had lodged any complaints. The deadline for signing the lists was 6pm on Wednesday.

But MP Mariya Didi, the spokeswoman for the opposition candidate, expressed concern at her daily press briefing over the EC’s refusal to give a copy of the signed lists. Observers and representatives need to use the signed lists at polling stations, she said.

The candidate’s signature on the lists was a requirement imposed by the Supreme Court during the 2013 election. This year, the EC assigned up to 25 representatives and gave a four-day period. The signing took place at a designated venue.

The final registry of voters was published last week with the name, address and identity card number of 262,135 eligible voters.

Nearly 80,000 people re-registered to vote outside their island of permanent residence.

With the election in less than two weeks, the five-member electoral commission, led by a loyalist of the president, remains at loggerheads with the opposition, which alleges collusion and fraud to favour the incumbent.

But the EC denies the allegations and insists that the voting process will be exactly the same as in past elections.

Photo by Mihaaru of voter looking at the list posted outside a polling station during last year’s municipal elections.