Diaspora can vote in 2011
Oct 28, 2005
MANY Ugandans living overseas want to vote in the 2006 elections but the Electoral Commission has said that it is not possible, especially since the closing date for voter registration is October 28.
MANY Ugandans living overseas want to vote in the 2006 elections but the Electoral Commission has said that it is not possible, especially since the closing date for voter registration is October 28. However, the Electoral Commission should start planning to facilitate overseas voting in 2011.
Most countries allow citizens to vote in elections even if they are living outside the country. For instance, American soldiers in Iraq voted in the 2004 presidential elections.
Many countries use postal voting where citizens are allowed to send their votes by mail to their home constituencies. However, postal voting is frequently abused even in advanced democracies. In a country like Uganda where there have been historical problems with electoral fraud, it would be unwise to allow postal voting.
Nevertheless the Electoral Commission should still respect the deep desire of the diaspora to participate in the democratic process in Uganda.
The way forward is for overseas voters to undergo the same physical registration procedure as voters in Uganda. Voters would have to confirm their identity (by presentation of their passports); have their photos and fingerprints taken; and be issued with voter registration cards.
An electoral register would then be prepared for each overseas country. On election day, or perhaps a few days before, registered voters would physically proceed to their embassies or consulates which would act as voting centres and would have the same transparent ballot boxes as in Uganda. Political parties would have their agents present during voting.
This obviously would only apply to presidential elections since it would be impractical to provide constituency and district ballots to all overseas voters. But voting for the president in 2011 would be a huge leap forward in increasing the participation of the diaspora in the Ugandan political process. In later years, as electronic technology advances, ways could be found to allow Ugandans abroad to vote even in local elections.
Ends
Most countries allow citizens to vote in elections even if they are living outside the country. For instance, American soldiers in Iraq voted in the 2004 presidential elections.
Many countries use postal voting where citizens are allowed to send their votes by mail to their home constituencies. However, postal voting is frequently abused even in advanced democracies. In a country like Uganda where there have been historical problems with electoral fraud, it would be unwise to allow postal voting.
Nevertheless the Electoral Commission should still respect the deep desire of the diaspora to participate in the democratic process in Uganda.
The way forward is for overseas voters to undergo the same physical registration procedure as voters in Uganda. Voters would have to confirm their identity (by presentation of their passports); have their photos and fingerprints taken; and be issued with voter registration cards.
An electoral register would then be prepared for each overseas country. On election day, or perhaps a few days before, registered voters would physically proceed to their embassies or consulates which would act as voting centres and would have the same transparent ballot boxes as in Uganda. Political parties would have their agents present during voting.
This obviously would only apply to presidential elections since it would be impractical to provide constituency and district ballots to all overseas voters. But voting for the president in 2011 would be a huge leap forward in increasing the participation of the diaspora in the Ugandan political process. In later years, as electronic technology advances, ways could be found to allow Ugandans abroad to vote even in local elections.
Ends