Zimbabwe Electoral Commission - ZEC Functions

a. To prepare for, conduct and supervise:

• Elections to the office of President and to Parliament;
• Elections to provincial and metropolitan councils and the governing bodies of local authorities;
• Elections of members of the National Council of Chiefs established by secton 285;
• Referendums; and to ensure that those elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law;

b. To supervise elections of the President of the Senate and the Speaker and to ensure that those elections are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law;

c. To register voters;

d. To compile voters’ rolls and registers;

e. To ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers;

f. To delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries;

g. To design, print and distribute ballot papers, approve the form of and procure ballot boxes, and establish and operate polling centres;

h. To conduct and supervise voter education;

i. To accredit observers of elections and referendums;

j. To give instructions to persons in the employment of the State or of a local authority for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, free, fair, proper and transparent conduct of any election or referendum; and

k. To receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;

Additional Functions and Powers of the Commission:

In addition to the functions set out in section 239 of the Constitution, the Commission shall be responsible for:
a. Undertaking and promoting research into electoral matters; and

b. Developing expertise and the use of technology in regard to electoral processes; and

c. Promoting co-operation between the Government, political parties and civil society in regard to elections; and

d. Keeping the public informed about:

• The times and places where persons can register as voters and the progress of the voter registration exercise;
• The delimitation of wards, constituencies and other electoral boundaries;
• The location and boundaries of polling stations and when they are open;
• Voters’ rolls and the times and places at which they are open for inspection;
• Political parties and candidates contesting every elections;
• Voting; and generally, all matters relating to the Commission’s work and the electoral process;
• Making recommendations to Parliament on appropriate ways to provide public financing for political parties.