The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said it will expand voters’ access to polling units by converting existing voting points and voting settlements into full polling units.
Sam Olumekun, the INEC resident electoral commissioner in Lagos State, said this on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, during a stakeholders’ meeting at Alausa, Ikeja.
Olumekun said where necessary, there will be relocation of existing ones to places where they are closer to and/or more accessible to voters.
The commission, he said, will decongest existing polling units by reducing the number of voters per polling unit.
“We want to improve the quality of access to electoral services provided to all Nigerian voters by the Commission, including better access at polling units for person with Disability, PWDs. We want to improve health and safety conditions at polling units during elections in order to comply with COVID-19 protocols. The steps will address the declining voters’ turnout at elections due to lack of access to polling units.
Olumekun said the commission has approved the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise nationwide to commence on June 28.
“For the exercise, the Commission will deploy a new technology known as INEC Voter Enrolment Device, IVED, which allows online registration as an alternative method for those who have access to internet facilities to preregister, thereby, reducing the inconveniences on voters. However, they will appear physically for biometrics and facial capture at either State office or Local government office,” he said.
Source: The Nation
