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The Gambia

Franchise & Registration

  • Franchise Age: 18
  • Compulsory Vote: Not compulsory
  • Eligibility Exception: allegiance to a foreign State, insanity, sentence of imprisonment, registration as voter in another country
  • Registration Type: Formal registration in office
  • Registration Basis: Residence requirement

Election Management & Enforcement

  • Nameof EMB: Independent Electoral Commissi
  • EMBNominations: 5 members selected by President in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and the Public Service Commission
  • EMBTenure: 7 years
  • Who Runs Election: Election Management Body
  • Nameof Elect Enforcement Body: Supreme Court

Candidacy & Campaign Rules

  • Debate Format: /
  • Debate Mandatory Number: Not mandatory
  • Debate Mandatory Number: Not mandatory

Electoral System & Organisation

  • Elect System Main Election: Plurality
  • Main Election Type: Presidential
  • Main Election Cycle: 5
  • Numb Round Main Election: One
  • Referenda_Law: 63. 4. where a no confidence motion is passed in accordance with subsection (3), the speaker shall request the Independent Electoral Commission to call for a referendum within thirty days of the passing of such motion to endorse or reject the decision of the National Assembly and where such decision is endorsed the President shall vacate the office. 79. 2. The Gambia shall not- a.enter into any engagement with any other country which causes it to lose its sovereignty without the matter first being put to a referendum and passed by such majority as may be prescribed by an Act of the National assembly; b.become a member of any international organisation unless the National assembly is satisfied that it is in the interest of The Gambia and that membership does not derogate from its sovereignty. Source: Constitution, sections 63 (4, 5), 79 (2), 102 (d), 226
  • Referenda_Binding: Always Binding
  • Voting Machine: None
  • Vote IDRequired: ID not required
  • Polling Card: Polling card compulsory
  • National Holiday Elect Day: Never
  • Districting Source: EMB
  • Districting Flexibility: The Independent Electoral Commission draws the boundaries, pending an Act of the National assembly that shall establish a constituencies Boundary Commission which shall be responsible for demarcating constituency boundaries for the purpose of elections to the National Assembly.

Polling Station

  • Average Voterby Polling Station: 623
  • Normal Opening Time Poll Station: 700
  • Normal Closing Time Poll Station: 1600
  • Polling Station Numbers: 1422
  • Listof Polling Station Buildings: public buildings, schools
  • Ballot Box Transparency: Fully opaque
  • Count Locallyor Centrally: centrally
  • Manualor Automatic Count: manual
  • Nature Counting Personnel: By the Commission

Ballot Paper

  • Ballot Type: Glass Marbles
  • Orderof Candidatesor Parties: Non Applicable

Remote Voting

  • Temporal Remote Voting: No
  • Geographical Remote Voting: No
  • Personal Remote Voting: No

Special Needs

  • Provision Illiterate Voters: Voting with marbles for images
  • Provision Blind Voters: Many polling stations were inaccessible; secrecy rights were not protected.
  • Provision Deaf Voters: Many polling stations were inaccessible; secrecy rights were not protected.
  • Provision Motor Handicap Voters: Many polling stations were inaccessible; secrecy rights were not protected.

Targeted Initiatives

Inclusivity Provisions