ECZ IS PROPOSING TO REMOVE SECURITY FEATURES FROM THE BALLOT PAPERS

ECZ IS PROPOSING TO REMOVE SECURITY FEATURES FROM THE BALLOT PAPERS

In the Electoral Process Bill, the Electoral Commission of Zambia seeks to remove security features from the ballot papers.

The targeted features are;
1. Ballot Stamp (to prevent counterfeit ballots).

2. Watermark

This is contained in the Electoral Process Bill due for am1endment in this year’s legislative session..

WHAT ARE THESE FEATURES?

The official mark in elections refers to two distinct elements: the security stamp on the ballot paper and the specific way a voter marks their choice.

1. The Security “Official Mark” (Ballot Stamp)
The official mark is a security feature, typically a date stamp or a unique Commission stamp, that must be placed on the back of every ballot paper by a polling official before it is issued to a voter.
Purpose: It authenticates that the ballot was legitimately issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and prevents the use of counterfeit ballots.

Consequence of Absence: Any ballot paper that does not bear this official mark is considered invalid and will be rejected during the counting process.2. The Voter’s Mark
While the security stamp is officially called the “official mark” in legal contexts, the term is also used to describe the correct way a citizen should mark their ballot.

The Mark: The standard official mark for a voter is an “X”.

Placement: The “X” must be placed in the empty box next to the candidate or party symbol of the voter’s choice.

Invalid Marks: Voters are strictly advised not to write their names, signatures, or phone numbers on the ballot, as this will lead to the ballot being rejected to preserve the secrecy of the vote.