Rwanda: Eleven Ways How Your Vote May Become Invalid
As Rwandans prepare to cast their votes in the general elections next month, they need to know why or how one's vote could be considered invalid.
According to the law, invalid ballot papers are not considered votes cast and are not considered in the calculation of the percentage of votes obtained by a candidate. The following are some of the circumstances under which one's vote can become invalid, according to Article 121 of the regulations of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) governing the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections:
A vote shall be deemed invalid if;
Article 122 of the NEC regulations governing the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections states that the vote is counted as a candidate's vote (valid vote) for a candidate if the voter affixes their fingerprint or ticks in the designated box.
The provisional electoral list estimates that slightly more than nine million Rwandans, including more than 62,000 from the diaspora, will participate in the polls.
The final list of voters will be published on June 29, the deadline for registration to vote.
Registering requires one to dial *169# on their phone and follow the prompts or through the website: amatora.nec.gov.rw.