Voter Education

The objective behind ECN Voter Education has been fostering and promotion of a democratic culture and good governance, so as to ensure credible election processes and results.

The ECN applied the following thematic concepts as part of the training:

  • Understanding the condition and requirements for voting.
  • Understanding the concepts of multi-party democracy, pluralism, and proportional representation as it applies to the Namibian system of democracy.
  • Knowing the Namibian elections Code of Conduct.
  • Understanding issues relating to civil rights and freedom of expression, association and movement.
  • Knowing Citizenship and the Roles and Responsibilities of citizens pertaining to elections and governance.
  • Knowing the type of elections in Namibia and criteria to vote and to be voted for.
  • Knowing the process of voters’ registration and procedures for the registration of political parties.
  • Understanding the development of the voter registration.

This program is generally aimed at raising public awareness on elections, democracy building and political tolerance during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

An electoral system covers the legal and practical realities of election administration processes, as well as the precise rules and the methods used to translate votes for candidates and/or parties in an election into seats allocation. Currently, there are three electoral systems used in Namibia.

Plurality Electoral System

This system is used for Presidential election and the underlying condition the winning candidate must obtain more than 50% of all votes cast.

The Majoritarian Electoral System

In the majoritarian of First-Past-the Post electoral system, the candidate with the most votes wins a seat in a constituency. This system is used in the Regional Council election.

Proportional Representation Electoral System or Party list Electoral System

In Namibia such electoral system applies to the National Assembly and Local Authority Elections. Under this system, seats are allocated on the bases of mathematical calculation.