Poll venues to appear on voter cards
POLLING stations for voters in the 2022 General Election will be stated on each person’s voter card.
This new change would be implemented under the proposed Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Bill 2020.
While explaining the new amendments to the Bill in Sabeto this week, Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights member Dr Salik Govind said these changes were aimed at ensuring the voting process was made easier for the voter.
“Under the current Bill, if you register as a voter, your voter registration card only has general information like your full name and date of birth so you don’t know where you will vote,” he said.
“It is only closer to the election then you will be told to call a number to find out where your polling station is.
“The current amendment is going to put your polling station on your voter registration card.
“So from the time that you register, you will know where you will be casting your vote.”
He said in the 2018 General Election, people were confused as to where they were supposed to cast their ballots.
“The reason this is being brought up is because in the last election, many people went to vote at a polling station where their name was not registered. So this is to avoid that.”
Standing Committee member Mosese Bulitavu added voters would have to acquire new voter registration cards in the lead-up to the 2022 General Election.
A report by the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights will be tabled in the March sitting of Parliament.