With polls scheduled for March 25, officials have the responsibility of ensuring that related materials and polling stations are made ready within the stipulated time frame.

Anxiety, effervescence and euphoria have gripped the political atmosphere of the country following the convening of the Electoral College for Senatorial Elections by the Head of State in a decree on February 7, 2018.

Billed for March 25, the elections management body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), is tasked with the responsibility of guaranteeing the preparedness of election materials before, during and after the process.

ELECAM will therefore provide updated electoral registers, registration cards, polling stations, manage elections operations and participate in the counting of votes as outlined in the law.

With regards to electoral registers, Section 223(1) of the Electoral Code, says regional branches of Elections Cameroon shall draw up and update a list of senatorial elections comprising regional and municipal councillors.

The list shall feature in alphabetical order, each elector’s name, date and place of birth, type of elective office, profession and place of residence. Section 224(1) of the same code states that on the publication of the decree convening the Electoral College, the list of senatorial electors shall be published.

“The updated list of senatorial electors shall be published at least 30 days before the voting date. It may be copied or notified to any person on request,” highlight Section 224(3) of the Electoral Code.

At the level of voting cards, ELECAM shall offer to each regional and municipal councillors a registration card which features their full name, date and place of birth, photograph, finger prints, type of elective office, filiation, profession and place of residence. Going by Section 226(1), registration cards shall be distributed by the divisional branches of Elections Cameroon within the 20 days preceding the elections.

In addition, the Director General of Elections shall fix the list of polling stations as well as the distribution of electors within the said stations. According to Section 229, the table of the list of polling stations and the distribution of senatorial electors is expected to be posted at the divisional branches of Elections Cameroon at least 15 days before the voting.

With the abovementioned chores, ELECAM officials are faced with a tedious task of making sure elections materials are available as per the different dispositions and dates.

Officials from the outfit say they master the Electoral Code and will act according to its stipulations. Meanwhile, registration on the electoral lists continues across the nation. They clarified that the senatorial elections will be done by indirect universal suffrage which does not in any way affect the revision of electoral registers for other elections.