NEC urged to design voter registration form
Ter Manyang Gatwech, executive director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy Organization. | Credit | Courtesy
A civil society activist has appealed to the National Election Commission (NEC) to design preparatory forms for the anticipated December elections.

This came after the NEC announced that registration would commence in June of this year.

The commission received $15 million from the government to cover immediate electoral activities such as vehicle purchases and staff accommodation as the parliament debates the proposed election budget.

It plans to expand its operations to ten states and three administrative areas in order to assess commission offices and train officials for electoral activities.

But Ter Manyang Gatwech, executive director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy Organization, says there is a need for the electoral body to design voter application forms.

“It's very important for somebody to have a national identification card. There is a need for the NEC to design an application form,” Manyang stressed in an interview with The Radio Community.

The human rights defender added that financial constraints continue to hinder citizens from accessing necessary ID cards.

“Polling stations should be set up for easy access by the public. As you are aware, a significant number of citizens in South Sudan do not possess an ID card. This is mainly due to issues related to financial constraints faced by many citizens,” Manyang echoed. 

NEC is responsible for planning, organizing, and conducting elections in South Sudan. It oversees voter registration, ensuring that eligible citizens are registered to vote; and establishes procedures for voter registration and maintains an accurate voter database.