Electoral administration

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) is established by the constitution as an independent body charged with conducting and supervising all elections and referenda. According to the Electoral Act, every officer of the NEC shall perform their functions in a neutral and impartial manner and shall receive instructions solely from the Electoral Commission. The Commission is composed of a Chief Commissioner, who serves as the Chairperson, and four other members. Commissioners are appointed by the President after consultation with all political parties and subject to approval by parliament. The current Chair of the NEC, Dr. Christiana Thorpe, was appointed in May 2005. The Chair is the Returning Officer for the election of the President. Each of the four Commissioners have responsibility for the election activities in each of the three regions (Northern, Southern and Eastern) and the Western Area.  The Commission has a Secretariat led by a Chief Elections Officer. The Secretariat has five departments (finance, human resources, field coordination, IT and voter registration, and citizen outreach) as well as a legal arm.  

The NEC’s responsibilities include: registering voters, delineating constituencies, registering presidential candidates, hearing objections to candidate registration, appointing Returning Officers, accrediting party agents and election observers, ensuring the equal allocation of airtime in the public media, regulating the election campaign, and declaring the election results. The NEC has the power to adopt executive regulations relevant to the holding of elections.

Until 2004, the NEC was composed of seconded civil servants. However in May 2005, a reform process began which included re-­staffing the Commission’s Secretariat and district offices largely with new permanent personnel; conducting extensive training; developing its infrastructure, and reviewing the electoral laws and regulations. Besides its head office in Freetown, the Commission also has 14 district offices in: Kailahun, Kenema, Kono, Bombali, Kambia, Koinadugu, Port Loko, Tonkolili, Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Pujehun, Western Area (Rural),Western Area (Urban). These are staffed by District Election Officers (DEOs) and Assistant District Election Officers. In addition, the NEC appoints four Returning Officers at regional level, 14 District Returning Officers (who may be DEOs) as well as Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers to administer voting and counting in polling stations.