Local elections watchdog, the Election Resource Centre (ERC), has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to come up with measures to prevent the abuse of the assisted voting facility. According to the ERC, the 2013 elections recorded a high number of assisted voters. The ERC fears that the facility can be used to intimidate voters, especially in the rural areas.
In a statement the organisation said:
It is imperative that effective measures are taken to ensure that only persons who genuinely need assistance to vote and who want such assistance are given such assistance,
There should be provisions where under those persons who wish to receive assistance in voting will be asked to indicate this when they register to vote. They will also be asked to indicate what form of assistance they will require e.g. that blind voters want to use Braille template so that they can vote in secret or that illiterate voters will want to be assisted by trusted friends
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