1. Have there been any Changes which will Make These Elections Different?
There have been some significant changes in Zimbabwe. A new President and cabinet, Biometric voter Registration with a new voters roll and approximately 46 countries and 15 organizations including US and EU observer missions to ensure free, fair and credible elections. In addition to this, there are also more registered voters than we have seen in the past few years, as well as a rather large list of political parties who have registered to compete.2. When are Elections Taking Place?
Section 158(1)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that a general election must take place not more than thirty days before the expiry of the current parliamentary term runs from the date on which the President elect is sworn in and assumes office. The current parliamentary term is set to expire on 21 August 2018. This means that elections must be held on any date between 21 July and 21 August 2018. According to the constitution, the official date must be proclaimed by the president - President E.D. Mnangagwa. |
| FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) |
3. Why Should I Vote?
Your vote is your right. Many people before you fought hard and sacrificed their lives to secure your freedom to vote. Your vote is one of the best ways to make your voice heard in government. If you don’t vote, complaining about a government which you didn’t want will not achieve anything and your complaints will fall on deaf ears. Vote for a better Zimbabwe, vote to secure a better future for your children. Vote to secure a better life for yourself.4. Do I Need to Register to Vote if I Voted in Past Elections?
YES. Even if you voted in previous elections, you need to register on the new Biometric System. The old voters roll was discarded and a brand new one has been made. EVERYONE was wiped off the voters roll. ZEC held several mobile blitz registration programs as well as mop-up programs countrywide to register people again. All these programs, have ended and voter registration is now closed.5. What are the Requirements to Register?
You need to be 18 years or older. You need to be a citizen of Zimbabwe. (Aliens may be able to register if they have a national ID and either one of their parents were born in Zimbabwe). You will need a paper, plastic, or metal ID or a valid passport. Driver's license is not an acceptable form of ID because it does not show citizenship. You will also need a proof of residence, or if you do not have this, an affidavit signed by a commissioner of oaths. You can find a full list of Requirements to Register. Please note that voter registration closed on the 1st of June.6. Can I Register to Vote Anywhere?
You can register at ANY ZEC registration center country-wide. But you must vote at the voting station shown on your registration slip because your name will only appear on the voters roll used by your polling station. If you go to another voting station, your name will not be on the voters roll.7. Where Can I Register to Vote?
All registration programs for the 2018 elections closed on the 1st of June 2018. It is now too late to register if you did not already do so.8. Why is ZEC not Accepting Driver's License as a Valid ID Document?
A driver's license is not acceptable ID to register because it does not show citizenship. Please make sure that you take either a paper, plastic, metal ID or a valid passport along with your proof of residence or affidavit. Please also make sure your documents are legible, not defaced and can be easily read.9. When Does Voter Registration Close?
Recent amendments to the Electoral Act now require voter registration to close 2 days after the president proclaims an election. Before the amendments, the law used to require that registration closed 12 days after Nomination Court. (Nomination court must be held at least 14 days but not more than 21 days after the president has proclaimed an election date.) Since the election was proclaimed on 30 May 2018, registration closed 2 days after that - 1st June 2018.10. Can I Change my Voting Station?
The constitution allows you to change your voting station, however as far as we know changes to the voters roll are now closed. There was a Voters Roll inspection period between 19 - 29 May 2018 in which you could check your details and change them. In order to change your voting station, you will need a NEW proof of residence or affidavit. In addition to this take your BVR slip, and ID. (Note that all these changes are now closed)11. I Know Someone who has Died. Should they be Removed from the Voters Roll?
YES. In order to maintain an accurate voters roll, ZEC has urged friends and family members to bring death certificates and request that deceased voters be removed from the voters roll. This process could be done during voters roll inspection which is was held between 19 - 29 May 2018. Changes to the voters roll are now closed in order to prepare it for the elections.12. I Have Lost My Registration Slip. Can I Get a New One?
ZEC will probably not issue a new one, however, you don't need your voter registration slip to be able to vote. When you arrive at the polling station an agent will verify that you are registered by checking that your name and ID number are on the voters roll. You only need to remember the voting station that was assigned to you. If you have forgotten your voting station, you can still check this information using ZEC's website (https://bvrinspection.zec.org.zw/) or the *265# USSD code. Note that any changes you made to your registration details will not yet show up since these services are still using the provisional voters roll.13. Can I Confirm that My Name and Details on the Voters Roll?
YES. You can use the ZEC website (https://bvrinspection.zec.org.zw/) to confirm that your name and details are correct on the voters roll. Note that the official inspection period (19-29 May) has ended. Any changes which you made to your details during the inspection will not yet reflect since these services still use the provisional voters roll (not the final copy). ZEC also sent an SMS to those who provided a working phone number. In addition to this, you can also check your details by dialing *265# on your phone in a similar way that you would check your airtime balance. Please remember that anyone who registered after the 6th of April 2018 will not find their name and details using these services.14. Someone Recorded my BVR Serial Number. Will they See Who I Vote For?
It is illegal for anyone to record your BVR Serial number and it is well with your right to refuse to show anyone your BVR slip. However, if this happens, please do not be intimidated. Voting is done in secret and there is no way to link a BVR serial number to a ballot paper. There will also be no cameras inside the voting stations recording who you are voting for. See the Statement on Collection of BVR Serial Numbers for more information.15. Where can I Report Suspicious Activity?
You can report suspicious activity to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Zimbabwe Election 2018, Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), Election Resource Center (ERC), Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the Political Party which you support, the nearest Police Station, a District Administrators Office, Rural Council Office, or any other relevant Authority.Any reports that are received by us (Zimbabwe Election 2018) will be treated in a private and confidential manner. We will not disclose your name or any contact details unless you give us permission to do so. You can get more information from our file, Report Suspicious Activity.
16. I Don’t Know Who to Vote For?
Every voter has the right to choose their own government. Since we are politically impartial we cannot tell you who to vote for and you should not allow anyone else to tell you who to vote for either. Keep your vote a secret. We will be posting a list of candidates on our website and Facebook page including their manifestos if we can get them. Perhaps this information will help you make decide. If not, vote in such a way that the political party which you DON’T want, will not win the election.17. How Many People are Registered to Vote?
According to Official Figures released by ZEC in April, there are currently about 5.4 million people registered to vote. Zimbabwe has a voting population of between 7 and 7.5 million people. Therefore there are still about 2 million people who have not yet registered to vote. An election can be won or lost based on this number of people.18. How Many People Were Registered in Previous Elections?
According to ZEC figures, about 2.5 million people voted in the 2008 elections and about 3.4 million voted in the 2013 elections. ZEC have done an excellent job with the new biometric voter registration. However, registration is still open and we are encouraging people to continue to register.19. Where Can I Find a List of Political Parties and Election Candidates?
Political parties and election candidates are still being finalized at the time of writing. We will be posting these on our Facebook page and website when they become available, including party manifestos if we can get them. Please like our Facebook page, or check back to our website soon so that you can receive this information when it becomes available.20. Where Can I get more Information / News?
You can get up to date information, news and voter education from our Website, Facebook Page or Twitter Account. We are also providing information via a WhatsApp Distribution List:https://zimelection.com