Voting takes place in one day and the date is prescribed on the Writ of Election and/or Election Instrument. Both the election of members of the National Assembly and the Local Authority take place at the same time. A voter is issued with a ballot paper to vote for a member of the National assembly followed by another ballot paper to vote the member of the Local Authority (Council). Voting commences at 0630 hours and ends at 1900 hours, with a provision for extension not exceeding 2 hours. Advance Poll for voters in the Diaspora and for poll staff and members of the Police occurs before the day of the National Poll.
The Electoral Act provides for polling station opening, the entire polling process as well as closing procedures to be accessible to polling agents, candidates, media and observers. Candidates agents are appointed in accordance with provisions of the Electoral Act while Media and election observers are accredited by the IEC prior to the voting day.
Voters who are incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause from voting, shall be assisted by the Presiding Officer in the presence of the person with whose assistance the voter came to cast his vote. In the case of a visually impaired voter, the aide of the voter joins in to witness the marking of the ballot by the Presiding Officer. For enhanced secrecy of the vote of the visually impaired voter, a ballot paper template and Braille instructions are provided at Polling Stations for use by those who are able to use them.
At the close of the Poll, the Presiding Officer prepares a ballot paper account in the presence of polling agents. The ballot box is sealed and transmitted from the polling station to Polling District and/or Constituency counting centres for counting of votes.
Counting & Announcement of Results
Ballot papers from the General Elections and those from advance voting, are mixed and counted at designated counting centres. When counting is completed, the Returning Officer announces official results immediately.
The Commission consolidates results and submits to the Chief Justice who in turn declares the presidential candidate of the political party that has secured a majority of seats in Parliament. If the Chief Justice declares that no candidate has been elected, the new National Assembly shall meet on such a day not more than fourteen (14) days after the result of the election is ascertained, and shall elect a person to the office of the President in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Botswana