Removing official ballot mark is to protect voters from disqualification, not rigging – ECZ
ELECTORAL Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis says the proposal to remove the official mark from ballot papers is meant to protect voters from being unfairly disqualified, not to open the door to rigging.
Speaking on Sunday Interview last night, Zaloumis explained that whenever elections are conducted, some ballots are rejected because polling assistants forget to stamp them.
This, she said, is a human error and should not punish voters who have followed the proper procedure.
“When a voter comes in, they are credible, authorised voters. They vote, they are given a ballot and they put it in the box. They have done nothing wrong,” Zaloumis said.
“The only problem comes when the polling assistant forgets to stamp it.”
She said that serial numbers and the management of ballot books already provide enough identification and security for ballots.
Removing the official mark, she explained, will reduce spoiled ballots and ensure that more votes count when results are tallied.
“Some ballots are not stamped and some voters do not wait to ensure the mark is there. They simply place their ballots in the box,” Zaloumis said.
“We have seen human error and this adjustment is to protect voters, not manipulate results.”
Civil society organisations, however, have raised concerns that removing the mark could make elections more vulnerable to suspicion and illegal ballot stuffing.
Zaloumis responded that proper tracking of ballot books and oversight by election agents will prevent such abuse.
“There is enough control. Presiding officers announce when books are opened and closed. Agents from political parties witness the process. We are not creating loopholes, we are reducing mistakes,” she said.
Zaloumis added that the measure is necessary to make elections fairer and to give every legitimate vote a chance to count.
“This is about ensuring voters are not penalised for errors they did not make. We are protecting the integrity of the vote,” said Zaloumis.
By George Musonda
Kalemba February 16, 2026