05 Oct 2014

The Independent Electoral commission (IEC) has set October 18 as the day for advance voting.

The IEC principal public relations officer, Mr Osupile Maroba said in an interview that Batswana  living outside the country will also cast their votes on October 18 in different polling stations such as South Africa, Australia and China, among others.

He said the advance voting day was set aside for people who will be on duty during the national election day such as police officers and people who will be conducting elections at polling stations.

Mr Maroba said a total of 1 148 registered Batswana will be casting their votes on this day and their ballot papers would be transported to Botswana where they will be balanced and sorted according to their constituencies an exercise that will be performed in front of party representatives and thereafter will be sent to respective constituencies. 

He said a big number of Batswana lived in South Africa and the country had seven polling stations followed by Australia with six polling stations including one in New Zealand and China with two; one in Beijing and another in Malaysia.

Mr Maroba said during voting, people would be given a ballot paper and an envelope which she/he should put the ballot paper in it and close it with the name of the constituency on the envelope.

Regarding the number of those who will be conducting elections such as the police and polling officers, Mr Maroba said the numbers were not yet out as the exercise was still on throughout the country for those people who will be working on the October 24 when all Batswana will be going to the polls. Ends