Registration of voters

According to the Electoral Act of 1992, the general registration of voters is supposed to take place every ten years. The last general registration of voters took place in 2003 and the next one is, therefore, not due until 2013. This means that if your name was on the voters register for the 2004 elections, you do not need to register again for this election as long as you still live in the same constituency as when you previously registered, still have your voter registration card, and still have the same name.
During 2009, the following people should register to vote:

• Those who have turned 18 since the last registration of voters
• Those who have moved to a new constituency since the last registration of voters
• Those who have lost their voter registration cards
• Those who have adopted new names, for example through marriage.

It is the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s responsibility to ensure the voters’ register is updated. It is doing this through two methods – continuous registration in the regions and national supplementary registration. Since last October continuous registration has taken place in the Omusati, Omaheke, Kavango, Erongo, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana regions. This leaves the Caprivi, Karas, Hardap and Kunene regions still to be covered.
National supplementary registration is scheduled to take place in September 2009. If you have missed out on continuous voter registration in the regions, you can still register in September. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) advertises the places and dates for registration in several national newspapers.
The ECN keeps the national voters register at the offices of the Commission for inspection by the public. Any person desiring to inspect or make copies or take extracts from the register is entitled to do so during normal office hours.
At the moment, Namibian citizens cannot register outside Namibia if they happen to be living abroad. However, a draft amendment to the Electoral Act does allow the ECN to set up temporary registration points at Namibian diplomatic missions. It is not clear when the amendment bill will go before parliament and therefore if this will be possible before the 2009 elections.