IEC deletes names of over 14,000 voters for multiple registrations in 2026
The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of the Gambia, Joseph Colley, has informed stakeholders that the names of 14,334 voters who registered multiple times have been deleted following consultations with the registered political parties.
Colley said the Commission has also initiated a dialogue with all political parties to find acceptable solutions to some key issues that have the potential to negatively impact the credibility of the voter list.
Colley added that discussions were held on 29 June 2026 at the Election House, with 15 out of the 22 registered political parties at the time. He said the focus was on how to deal with the documented cases of double or multiple registration committed by 14,334 voters.
“At the end of very constructive discussions, it was decided to delete the names of those who registered twice or more in 2026, while maintaining their names in the 2021 voter register,” Colley revealed.
The IEC Chairman said leaving the over 14,000 multiple registrations would give an impression of 24,000 voters when in reality that was not the case. According to him, that is the reason deleting their names would be the right thing to do.
In cases of suspected registration fraud, Colley said the Commission would initiate legal proceedings in order to ensure the integrity of the voter register.
Colley also stated that, consistent with the IEC’s policy of inclusivity and to ensure that no eligible Gambian is disenfranchised, a short window for the replacement of lost, damaged, mutilated or burnt cards will be opened before the election in December, 2026.
“In its drive to promote better understanding of the electoral process by the stakeholders, the Commission in collaboration with partners, most especially ECONEC, plans to organise some training workshops to increase knowledge and understanding of elections in The Gambia,” he said.
Against this backdrop, Colley said the Commission’s personnel and some members of various organisations will be trained on key areas in election conduct. He said this will include the media, IPC, CSO’s, the police, and so on.
“This is aimed at having hitch-free and seamless elections,” he said. “The Commission would like to reassure the electorate and all its stakeholders of its continued commitment and resolve to deliver free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections.”
Publication of the Provisional Voter List
IEC Chairman Joseph Colley further announced that a provisional voter registration list will be distributed and posted at polling stations across the country starting from 7 July 2026.
“Starting from the 7th of July, 2026, the Commission will deploy its personnel to publish the provisional lists at all designated registration centers country wide,” he announced. “We therefore encourage voters and stakeholders to properly and meticulously scrutinise the lists for the purpose of corrections. This will furthermore help to ascertain that only eligible Gambians are on the register.”
Colley further informed the stakeholders that political parties will be provided with a soft copy of the provisional list.
“The voter registration process is not only limited to capturing the data of registered applicants but also includes the appeals and objection processes that may be heard by the revising courts,” he said.
Colley added that the revising magistrates will ultimately validate the register of voters which will then be incorporated into the current voter register (i.e. the 2021 voter register). He said the Commission places a premium on the integrity of the voter register and seeks to make this process as inclusive, transparent and credible as possible.
Colley also announced that the fee of D50 is to accompany any claim of appeal or objection, as required by law. He noted that the voter registration process was well observed by various stakeholders, including some political parties, the media, COs and some partners.
“The process was conducted as required by law; bearing in mind that any registered voter should be a Gambian and he or she is or will have attained the age of eighteen (18) years by the next election date, which is the 5th of December 2026,” he said.
The IEC Chairman said Follow-up activities are ongoing, including verification and adjudication of the registration data generated from the field.
Colley described the process as a very meticulous exercise that requires the identification and segregation of the needed data that will constitute the provisional list of voters.
Source: The Point
