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Voting-eligible population

Voting-eligible population (VEP) represents an estimate of persons eligible to vote regardless of voter registration status in an election.

In a democracy, all adult citizens must be eligible to participate in elections. This means that eligibility requirements must be broad enough so that all or virtually all adult residents having citizenship can register to vote. There should be no systematic exclusion of any group whether women, physically challenged persons, members of ethnic or linguistic minorities, poor or homeless people, or residents of remote areas.

Eligibility rules focus on age, citizenship and residence. The exact requirements may vary from one democracy to another.

For example, all representative democracies limit voting to the adult population. They differ in their definition of the age at which someone reaches adulthood but the range generally is quite small, from about age 18 to 21. In most democracies younger adults (aged 18 to 30) tend to participate less in electoral politics than do their elders. Many advanced industrial democracies have seen a sharp decline in the electoral involvement of young voters over the last two decades. They have responded with voter education and registration initiatives aimed at younger citizens.

The citizenship requirement historically has permitted voting only by adults who can demonstrate that they are citizens residing in the country where the election is being held. Some countries are becoming more flexible on this requirement, allowing foreign nationals to vote in local and national elections if they meet certain basic residence conditions. Certain countries restrict voting to people who have resided in an electoral district for a specified minimum time; others allow their nationals living abroad for a limited time to register and vote.

In post-conflict situations, it is increasingly common to extend the right to register and vote to nationals living abroad. This practice may necessitate the involvement of foreign election authorities: they may assist in registration and voting for such voters, or they may monitor the arrangements to ensure that they are fair and effective.

Voter eligibility rules are normally set by the legislation or a country’s constitution, not by electoral administrators. Instead, their task to apply the rules and policies that have been set.

In Zimbabwe Zimbabwean citizens born in Zimbabwe and where one or both of their parents were not citizens of Zimbabwe but citizens of a country belonging to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to register to vote in the forthcoming Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise. These have been called “aliens” in common electoral parlance.

ZEC reiterates that these Zimbabweans are eligible to register to vote in accordance with the electoral laws like any other Zimbabwean citizen.

The Electoral Laws stipulate that for a person to be registered as a voter on a voters roll for a particular constituency, he or she must:-be a Zimbabwean citizen be of or over the age of eighteen years;produce proof of identity in any of the following forms: National Identity Card (metal, plastic or waiting pass with holder’s picture) or Valid Zimbabwean passport; and produce proof of residence.ZEC calls on the Zimbabweans over the age of eighteen, wishing to register as voters to have the above documents ready.

Zimbabwe Election Act RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS

To vote in a particular constituency the claimant must be resident in that constituency at the date of his claim; unless the claimant satisfies the Registrar-General that for reasons related to his place of origins, political affiliations or otherwise, it is appropriate for him to be registered as a voter in a constituency in which he is not resident.

A claimant who is absent from his constituency for a temporary purpose will be deemed to be residing in that constituency. A voter who is registered on the voters roll for a particular constituency will have his name removed from the roll, if for a continuous period of 12 months, he has ceased to reside in that constituency.Provided the claimant does not become registered in another constituency or becomes disqualified for registration as a voter.

REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

Claims for registration Claims for registration Claims for registration. Any person who wishes to be registered as a voter on the voters roll for any constituency must complete prescribed claim for and lodge it with the constituency registrar.

Any claimant who wishes to register in a constituency in which he is not resident shall lodge his claim form with the Registrar-General. The claimant must provide an address in that constituency where he shall be deemed to be registered.If the constituency registrar/Registrar-General is satisfied the claimant is entitled to be registered as a voter on the voters roll for that constituency he will enter the claimant's name and particulars on that voters roll. If the constituency registrar considers that the claimant should be entered on the voters roll for some other constituency he shall forward the claim to that particular constituency.