237Vote: Understanding the electoral processes

Voting day marks the climax of the electoral process for the twin municipal and legislative elections.

The proclamation of results signals the end of the process that began with the convening of the electorate.

Registration of voters into the electoral register automatically ends once the decree of the President of the Republic convenes the electorate.

The elections management body, Elections Cameroon, is consequently ignited to start preparing for the elections.

The electoral board of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM meet in an ordinary session as of right to outline their strategy to organize the elections.

They proceed with the cleaning up of the electoral register, receive files of candidates aspiring to take part in the elections.

The electoral board, then publishes the list of candidates that meet up with the criteria to run in for elections.

Dissatisfied candidates can seize the administrative courts in each of the regions for council elections or the Constitutional Council for Parliamentary election.

The decision of the Administrative Court can be appealed at the Administrative Bench of the Supreme Court but the Constitutional Council is the unique jurisdiction.

In the meantime, Elections Cameroon proceeds with the printing of electoral materials as well as its transportation to the various regional branches.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Territorial Administration, government representatives in elections provides security and support to ensure that the process is successful.

The Ministry also scrutinises applications and gives authorisation to elections observers.

ELECAM appoints and trains heads of polling station. It also receives names of polling agents assigned by each of the political parties in the race.

Two weeks to election date, campaigns are launched. Government provides campaign funds to all political parties in the race while ELECAM provides campaign ballots to the parties.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration beefs up security and surveillance of election day to avoid surprises.

ELECAM, political parties representatives and voters present at the time of the close of the polls count the votes and file the vote counting sheets that are transmitted to the divisional vote counting committee for compilation.

The counting sheets end up in Yaounde where the National Vote Counting committee corrects any materials errors before forwarding the results for publication. Representatives of the political parties in the race take part in the counting process at every level.

In the meantime, the administrative courts and the Constitutional Council will once again be solicited to hear post election litigations.

At the end of the process that generally lasts about two weeks, the results of the elections will be proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

Elvis Teke