QUESTION OF THE DAY
CAN A VOTER WEAR A PARTY SYMBOL TO GO AND VOTE?
The answer to this is in the negative. Section 70 of the Elections Act does not permit the wearing of any party symbol or any symbol of a candidate in the vicinity of a polling station; and the presiding officer has power to remove that person from the area.
The same section prohibits many other activities on polling day, that is, 6 April. It reads:
“On any day on which polling is to take place in an electoral division the following shall be prohibited in that Area-
- the holding of a public meeting, procession or demonstration;
- the making of any speech or announcement in a public place;
(c ) the use of any loudspeaker, loud hailer or other instrument of public address;
( d) drumming or singing in a public place;
(e ) the display in any public place of a flag, banner or slogan;
(f) canvassmg;
(g) the ringing of a bell or the making of any sound resembling that of a bell within the radius of five hundred metres of a polling station;
(h) the riding or parking of a bicycle within the radius of five hundred metres of a polling station;
(i) the selling or distribution of alcoholic drinks;
(j) arriving at a polling station in a state of inebriation;
(k) forming groups around polling stations, except joining a queue to cast a ballot;
(l) entering a polling station armed; and
(l) carrying out any other activity tending to block or disturb the normal voting process.”
