Sierra Leone National and Local Council Elections, 17 November 2012
The Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the Sierra Leone National and Local Council Elections, held 17 November 2012. The Group was led by Olara Otunnu, former Foreign Prime Minister of Uganda, and comprised nine eminent persons in total.
The Group found that overall the elections were conducted in a free, peaceful and transparent manner and met international standards and benchmarks for the conduct of multi-party elections. They recommended a number of measures to strengthen further the electoral process in Sierra Leone, such as development and implementation of a comprehensive and wide-reaching voter education programme well in advance of polling day, and settling on a reasonable candidate nomination fee before the next electoral cycle.
Contents
Letter of Transmittal
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Terms of reference
Activities
Chapter 2 – Political Background
Political parties
All People’s Congress
Sierra Leone People’s Party
People’s Movement for Democratic Change
Relationship between the governing party and the main opposition
Women’s participation
Youth participation
Sierra Leone and the Commonwealth
Chapter 3 – The Legal Framework and Election Administration
Political structure
Legal framework – the Constitution
The Public Elections Act 2012
Chapter 4 – Election Campaign
Methods
Calendar
Issues
Environment
Gender
Chapter 5 – The Media
Chapter 6 – Voting, Counting and Tabulation
Background
Distribution of polling materials
Key procedures for opening and voting
Assessment of opening and voting
Vehicle restrictions as a security measure
Key procedures for counting
Assessment of counting
Tabulation of results
Assessment of tabulation
Chapter 7 – Conclusions and Recommendations
Key findings
Recommendations
Annexes
Annex 1 – Biographies of COG Members
Annex 2 – Arrival Statement by Mr Olara Otunnu
Annex 3 – Interim Statement by Mr Olara Otunnu
Annex 4 – Joint Statement by Other Election Observer Missions
Annex 5 – COG Deployment Plan
Annex 6 – Commonwealth News Release Announcing Observer Group Composition
Annex 7 – List of Organisations Consulted by the Commonwealth Observer Group
Browse subjects
- Agriculture Expand or collapse me
- Democracy and elections Expand or collapse me
- Debt and finance policy
- Economic development Expand or collapse me
- Education, gender and health Expand or collapse me
- Law and human rights Expand or collapse me
- Oceans and natural resources Expand or collapse me
- Public administration and governance Expand or collapse me
- Small states Expand or collapse me
- Sport for development and peace
- Taxation
- Trade Expand or collapse me
- Youth policy
