Windhoek: The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is conducting an extensive voter education campaign across all 14 regions, with a focus on marginalised communities, youth, and first-time voters. The campaign emphasizes correct voting methods, particularly the marking of ballot papers.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Marilyn Kazetjikuria, Deputy Director of Civic and Voter Education at the ECN, highlighted issues from previous elections where ballot papers were rejected due to incorrect markings. She spoke about the importance of civic education and the strategies for voter education and outreach programs. Kazetjikuria emphasized educating voters about ballot papers to better prepare them for future elections, aiming to enhance voter turnout through comprehensive voter education.

The voter education campaign, which started in June and will conclude on 25 November, utilizes in-person education, social media, and traditional media such as television, radio, and printed fact sheets to equip voters with the necessary information to cast their votes accurately. Kazetjikuria noted challenges in reaching voters on commercial farms for information dissemination and registration. However, with assistance from the Namibia Agricultural Union, ECN voter educators have been able to engage with commercial farmers and workers.

Additionally, the commission has recruited 84 youth ambassadors, six from each region, to facilitate information sharing among the youth. These ambassadors work closely with voter educators, focusing on teaching voters how to properly mark the ballot paper. Kazetjikuria stressed the importance of correctly marking a ballot paper to minimize the number of rejected ballots, which was a significant issue in the last election.

Kazetjikuria also mentioned that the commission has developed Braille and tactile ballot covers for the visually impaired, while hearing-impaired voters will receive instructions through videos with sign language interpretation.