The announcement was made during a stakeholder forum at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo on Thursday 22nd October, 2026. The forum brought together representatives of the United Nations system, the European Union, political parties, civil society organisations, journalists and other election stakeholders to discuss key issues ahead of the polls.
Addressing participants, the IEC Chairperson, Joseph Colley, said the forum provided a critical platform for assessing progress, identifying concerns and discussing issues that could affect the conduct of the presidential election.
He said the commission was undertaking a series of activities to ensure a peaceful, transparent and inclusive electoral process.
IEC Shortlists Polling Staff Candidates
The IEC said recruitment of polling staff was ongoing following an overwhelming response to its call for applications.
According to the commission, shortlisted candidates have been published at IEC offices across the country, while interviews commenced on October 22 at regional offices and are expected to conclude early next week.
The final selection, he said, would be based on merit, experience and qualifications, with the commission aiming to recruit approximately 9,000 competent and committed personnel.
Successful candidates will subsequently undergo onboarding and training before being deployed to polling stations nationwide.
Revising Courts Near Completion of Proceedings
The commission also provided an update on the revising courts, saying proceedings were nearing completion, with most cases reportedly dealt with.
“I learned that most of the cases have been dealt with, and I hope that all the remaining cases will be completed by the end of the week,” he said, referring to the 60 days provided by law.
He explained that the completion of the proceedings would pave the way for the finalisation of the voter register. The commission will compile the final register once the relevant registers have been signed by the magistrates and will act in accordance with court orders.
The final voter register will then be provided to political parties as required by law.
Reaffirming the commission’s position on the supplementary voter registration exercise, he said the process had been transparent and inclusive, adding that political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders had been given opportunities to observe the exercise.
Assessment of Polling Stations
As part of preparations for the election, the IEC will soon deploy teams across the country to assess the suitability of identified polling stations and make adjustments where necessary.
The commission expects an increase in the number of polling stations to accommodate the growing number of voters registered during the 2026 supplementary voter registration exercise.
The assessment is intended to ensure that polling arrangements adequately respond to the needs of voters ahead of election day.
Observer and Media Accreditation Ongoing
The IEC also confirmed that accreditation for election observers and media practitioners was underway.
The commission said it had received numerous applications and hoped to process them before nominations and the election period commenced.
The accreditation process is expected to facilitate the participation of observers and journalists in monitoring and reporting on the electoral process.
Voter Education to Be Intensified
On voter education, the commission said it was already implementing activities that would be intensified in the coming weeks to reach communities across the country.
Face-to-face voter education campaigns will be conducted by teams deployed nationwide, alongside the use of various communication platforms, including social media.
The IEC emphasised the importance of ensuring that voters receive relevant information about the electoral process as the country approaches the December polls.
Presidential Nominations Set for November 3–14
The commission announced that nominations for presidential candidates would take place from November 3 to 14, 2026.
As of Thursday, 25 nomination forms had been collected by prospective presidential aspirants. However, the collection of nomination forms does not constitute formal nomination, as aspirants must still fulfil all the requirements stipulated by law.
The IEC said the detailed nomination schedule would be communicated in due course and expressed hope that the process would be conducted in an orderly and transparent manner.
It also called on all presidential aspirants to comply with the applicable electoral regulations.
With the December 5 presidential election approaching, the stakeholder forum provided an opportunity for election stakeholders to discuss preparations, raise concerns and assess the measures being taken by the IEC to support a credible electoral process.
The commission’s ongoing activities, including the recruitment and training of polling personnel, the finalisation of the voter register, polling station assessments, observer and media accreditation, voter education and candidate nominations, form part of its broader preparations for the upcoming election.ng election.
Author: Halimatou Ceesay
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