by Alieu Ceesay
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia is working on doing away with the long time marbles by introducing ballot papers, The Fatu Network can report. Gambia has a unique way of voting during Presidential elections and other public positions instead of ballot papers, voters use marbles.
In an interview with The Fatu Network, IEC Chairman Alieu Momar Njie confirmed that there is a proposal to introduce the ballot papers system of voting, but it is not yet finalized.
According to him, the IEC would want to see it happen in the upcoming 2018 Local Government Election. “For this to be done the exact Laws and Constitution have to be amended and we understand from the Minister of Information that, they are planning to have a complete new constitution for the country in which all these will be addressed,” Njie who presided over the elections that ousted former President Jammeh said.
With the expected increase number of aspirants for the Local Government Election in 120 Wards, Njie said, the ballot papers will be more ideal as transporting ballot boxes and marbles will incur more cost to the electoral body.
When finalized it will be the first time that Gambians will be voting using ballot papers, meanwhile, the IEC boss is of the believe that there is no voter who would not understand the voting system.
