Sierra Leone - High Voter Turnout Despite Voting Glitches
Voting in Sierra Leone started Saturday enthusiastically amid a litany of small glitches in many parts of the country. Long queues character...
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Voting in Sierra Leone started Saturday enthusiastically amid a litany of small glitches in many parts of the country. Long queues characterised most polling centres, indicating a very high turnout.
But voters expressed disappointment over the slow pace of the process caused by a horde of issues, including mixed-up voter registration lists.
Many voters headed to polling centres as early as five hours before the official starting of voting at 0700 GMT.
Some wanted to vote early so that they could report for work as the day was not declared a public holiday.
Others turned up at the wrong centres only to be redirected.
It took the National Electoral Commission a long time to decide which format to use to identify voters` correct voting centres.
Voters complained of lack of information about what to do in the face of the ensuing delay.
The vehicular restriction imposed by the NEC, in spite of assurances to provide public transportation, aggravated the situation.
Many of the limited buses available reportedly broke down, forcing hundreds of voters to trek long distances to cast their ballot.
National television, SLBC, showed stranded voters at bus stops, some vowing not to vote if they did not get buses to transport them.
A pregnant woman went into labour while on the queue. It took her like three hours before ambulance arrived, SLBC reported.
Many voters headed to polling centres as early as five hours before the official starting of voting at 0700 GMT.
Some wanted to vote early so that they could report for work as the day was not declared a public holiday.
Others turned up at the wrong centres only to be redirected.
It took the National Electoral Commission a long time to decide which format to use to identify voters` correct voting centres.
Voters complained of lack of information about what to do in the face of the ensuing delay.
The vehicular restriction imposed by the NEC, in spite of assurances to provide public transportation, aggravated the situation.
Many of the limited buses available reportedly broke down, forcing hundreds of voters to trek long distances to cast their ballot.
National television, SLBC, showed stranded voters at bus stops, some vowing not to vote if they did not get buses to transport them.
A pregnant woman went into labour while on the queue. It took her like three hours before ambulance arrived, SLBC reported.
