Voided votes: Using Osun election as case study

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continuously lamented the high number of rejected/ voided votes during elections across the country and indeed it is something that must be tackled. And in doing that, I want to appeal to INEC to study Ede North and Ede South in Osun State, to find out how illiterate people voted during the September 22, 2018 governorship election without recording voided votes. We need to study the techniques used by illiterates to eliminate voided votes as we approach the elections.

It is also good that INEC is taking sensitisation campaigns to the 774 local government areas of the country to enlighten those in the rural areas on how to vote correctly.

Political parties should enlighten their members and their supporters on the need for them to participate in the election and vote correctly. Town unions, market women and other associations should also educate their members on how to vote during elections. The increasing number of void votes in our elections is truly a serious issue.

The cause of rejected votes has been attributed to lack of adequate continuous voter education, especially in the rural areas and that must be addressed.

We must note that one vote can help produce the necessary margin for a winner and can also make a candidate lose an election or even call for a re-run.