The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has given a 7-step guide that will be used on Tuesday, 9th August by eligible voters.
According to the commission, polling stations will be opened at 6 am and closed at 5 pm, although the ones who will not have voted and are at the polling station by the time of closing will be allowed to vote.
1. Opening of the polling station and allowing voters in with their ID or Passport
Voters will be allowed in the polling stations by 6 am immediately after opening, they should carry the documents used during registration i.e Identification Card (ID) or a valid Kenyan passport, and line up.
2. Identification and Authentication using the KIEMS kit
Voters will provide a polling clerk with an ID or a valid Kenya passport for identification, the clerk will then check the name electronically using the KEIMS kit. The process will ensure the voter’s name is registered in that specific polling station and they are eligible to vote.
3. Voter issued with 6 stamped ballot papers.
The voter will then be issued 6 stamped ballot papers after successful identification and authentication.
The papers include presidential candidate (in white), Governor (blue), Senator (yellow), Member of Parliament (pink), Women representative (green), and Member of County Assembly (beige).
4. Voter heads to the booth and marks the ballot papers secretly.
The voter will then heads to a private booth where they mark the papers secretly as per their preferred candidate.
In each paper, a voter will mark (a tick or a cross) against their candidate. A voter should not use both symbols but only use one. Also, make sure to mark it inside the box.
Using more than one symbol, or any other symbols, or even marking outside the indicated box, leads to that ballot becoming a spoilt vote.
5. Voter casts ballot papers in the labeled ballot boxes.
After marking the papers, the voter will head to cast his/her vote into each ballot box provided for each position in the election. The color of the lid corresponds to the color of the ballot paper.
The voter should ensure they place each vote in the proper box. Failure to do so makes the vote that appears in the wrong box to become a spoilt vote.
The presiding officer together with party agents monitors this stage.
6. Voter’s finger marked with indelible ink.
The voter will then head to the exit where a clerk will be having a marker pen ready to ink their small finger “pinky” or the space between the index and middle finger.
The ink is not easily removable as it is proof you have already voted.
7. Voter leaves Polling Station
The voter will then leave the station and should not remain within the premise of the polling station.
The results will be announced by the Returning Officer.