The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has released a fact sheet explaining how postal voting will work for the upcoming 2023 harmonized elections scheduled for August 23rd. Postal voting is available for members of the disciplined force on duty, electoral officers deployed outside their polling areas, and diplomats and their spouses serving outside Zimbabwe on the day of the election.
ZEC said to apply for postal voting, eligible persons must submit an application to the ZEC Chief Elections Officer no later than noon on the 14th day after nomination day. Once approved, the applicant will receive three postal ballots: one for the Presidential, one for the National Assembly, and one for the local authority elections. After marking their chosen candidates in secret, they must place the ballots in envelopes, seal them, and return them to the Chief Elections Officer. Processing of postal votes is being done at the TelOne Centre in Belvedere, Harare.
There are no designated venues for postal voting, and voters who choose to vote by post will neither vote at polling stations nor in the presence of polling staff, observers, or election agents. However, members of the public may inspect the postal vote applications and the register of all applications for postal ballot papers at the postal vote processing centre.
The Commission’s policy is to allow electoral officers on duty to vote on a rotational basis without disrupting the polling process. ZEC said it is committed to ensuring that no eligible voters are disenfranchised, and electoral officers who feel that their participation may impinge on their constitutional rights may withdraw from the exercise.