THE countdown to General Election 2027 (GE27) began in earnest and without much fanfare yesterday which marks the start of exactly 365 days before writs are issued.
Acting Electoral Commissioner Margaret Vagi has announced the tentative dates for GE27 as:
- ISSUE of writs and nomination open – April 29, 2027;
- NOMINATIONS close – May 6, 2027;
- POLLING starts – June 26, 2027;
- POLLING ends – July 9, 2027; and,
- RETURN of writs – July 30, 2027.
Vagi has also warned eligible voters for GE27 to register during the Electoral Commission’s nationwide voter enrolment programme that starts next month.
She said her officers would visit all wards and local level government areas.
“You cannot vote in GE27 if your name is not on the electoral roll,” she said.
“The voter enrolment programme is to make sure eligible electors are registered and have their correct details on their ward electoral roll to exercise their democratic right to vote.”
New voters should be 18 years and above.
Those who are 17 years old this year, but will turn 18 before the issue of writs next year are also eligible.
Vagi said citizens must reside within their wards for six months or more and must enrol at that particular ward only.
“Voters who are on the electoral roll should check their names and details to confirm or update when the enrolment team visit their wards,” she said.
The rollout of the programme will be conducted from next month to October.
This statement cannot be simply dismissed as every citizen has a duty to elect the right leader into office if they want to see socio-economic changes after 2027.
Today, there are many who take to social media and every other platform to lambast government as a group or they take apart individual parties and leaders about what they consider as lack of development and progress in the country.
But you will find often that the same people who complain a lot do not make an effort to enroll for elections or to stand in line to vote when elections do come around.
This is irresponsible behavior that ultimately lands a bad leader in Parliament. A bad leader makes bad judgements and decisions which ultimately lead to lack of development.
Former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill put it rightly yesterday when he called upon everyone in the country to ensure they enrolled and that they vote.
It behooves everyone to heed the Electoral Commissioner and O’Neill’s call.
It is useless to decry a leader or a government one did not vote into office. People must have a basic understanding of the voting system and to make an effort to educate themselves if they are unaware.
Most people in the country tend to argue that in the grand scheme of things, their vote does not matter.
But that is far from the truth.
In areas where one political party holds a large majority of votes, it may seem that voting makes little difference, which can be deeply frustrating.
However, not voting is the one thing guaranteed to make no difference at all.
Even if voting will not affect the outcome of the result in an individual constituency, it can influence national votes for the parties.
Parties that do not win can still get their agendas taken seriously by the other parties if the amount of votes they get is high and get the Section 63 invitation to form government, as per the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.
That is why every person who is not be happy with the current Government’s performance since 2019 to ensure they participate through the proper democratic process in GE27 to change the regime.
That is what the Prime Minister has been saying all along. He is challenging all to change him at the ballot box. It is a challenge everyone worth his or her salt should be taking up.
By the same token, anyone who is happy with his performance should be marching to the polls to ensure they get their votes in to keep Marape in office.
That is how it should work in a democracy.
From business houses to education institutions, all eligible voters must be allowed time next year to go to their respective polling booths to cast their ballots and exercise their right accorded in Section 50 of the Constitution.
These people must also play their part in educating others on the laws of land that govern elections in the country so as to allow for a better outcome of the election.
