Info

Sierra Leone

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Boundary Delimitation

BD001

Delimitation of constituencies

Question:	Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

BD003

Criteria for drawing boundaries

Question:	On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):	a. "Equality" of population
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

BD005

Body responsible for drawing boundaries

Question:	The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):	a. Legislature (1st chamber)
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Electoral Systems

ES001

Head of State

Question:	How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):	a. Head of State is the Head of Government
Comments:	a) Head of State is the Head of Government
Source:	Constitution of Sierra Leone
Verified:	2005/06/23

ES002

Head of Government

Question:	How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:	a. Directly elected in general elections (simple majority)
Comments:	Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary).
Source:	Constitution of Sierra Leone
Verified:	2005/06/23

ES003

President

Question:	Does the country have a president?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	Mr. A. Tijan Kabbah
Source:	2002 Presidential Election Result Gazzet
Verified:	2005/06/30

ES004

Number of Chambers

Question:	The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:	a. One chamber
Comments:	There shall a legislature of Sierra Leone which shall be known as Parliament and shall consist of the Prresident, the Speaker and members of Parliament
Source:	Chapter VI - The LEGISLATURE Part I - Composition of Parliament 73. (1)
Verified:	2005/06/30

ES005

Electoral System (Chamber 1)

Question:	What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):	a. Plurality (FPTP)
Comments:	Representation of the people allows every citizen of SL being 18 years of age and of sound mind shall have the right to vote and accordingly shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda. At any public elections orreferenda, voting shall be by secret ballot.
Source:	Chapter IV - Representation of the People. Article 31 Registration of Voters (qualification to be registered and to vote)and Article 36. Secret Ballot
Verified:	2005/06/28

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Legislative Framework

LF001

Status of Electoral Law

Question:	What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Part of Constitution d. Regulations or administrative rules
Comments:	The National Electoral Commission derives its authority fron the Constitution of Sierra Leone
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

LF003

Electoral Law covers

Question:	The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):	a. National elections
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

LF004

Compulsory/voluntary voting

Question:	Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):	a. Voting is voluntary
Comments:	a) Representation of the people allows every citizen of Sierra Leone being 18 years of age and of sound mind shall have the right to vote and accordingly shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda. At any public elections or referenda, voting shall be by secret ballot. There is no sanction on any one who does not vote in an election.
Source:	Chapter IV - Representation of the People. Article 31 Registration of Voters (qualification to be registered and to vote) and Article 36. Secret Ballot
Verified:	2006/11/21

LF007

Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)

Question:	What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):	b. EMB
Comments:	First level of formal electoral disputes may imply disagreements at the polling station level where officials of the Electoral Comission have cause to resolve emerging problems
Source:	In the event of 21 days after the declaration of elections result and its publication in the gazzet, any agrieved party is obliged to file a casein the High Court for the adjudication of the case.
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Electoral Management

EM001

Please provide the following contact information for the national electoral management body:

Name of Institution: National Elections Commitee
Website Address: N/A 	

Source

No Source

Verified

2009/11/13

(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)

EM002

Responsibility of national EMB

Question:	Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):	a. National level b. Regional level c. Local level
Comments:	Chiefdom elections are supervised by the National Electoral Commission
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

EM004

EMB budget determined by

Question:	The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):	c. The legislature f. Donors
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

EM005

EMB expenditures controlled by

Question:	The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):	g. Other
Comments:	The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

EM006

Term of EMB members

Question:	The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:	b. For a specified number of years
Comments:	For a term of 5 years.
Source:	Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified:	2009/11/13

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Voter Education

VE001

Information campaigns performed by

Question:	Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):	a. National Electoral Management Body b. Regional Electoral Management Bodies c. Local/County Electoral Management Bodies d. National Government e. Regional Governments f. Local Governments g. NGOs/ Civic Organizations h. Political parties/ candidates i. Media j. Religious Institutions
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VE002

Frequency of voter education programs

Question:	At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:	b. Election time only
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VE003

National civic education

Question:	Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):	h. Yes, conducted by NGOs/ Civic Organizations
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Voter Registration

VR001

Voting age

Question:	What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:	c. 18
Comments:	Representation of the people allows every citizen of SL being 18 years of age and of sound mind shall have the right to vote and accordingly shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VR002

Other voting requirements

Question:	Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):	a. Citizenship b. Period of Residence
Comments:	Representation of the people allows every citizen of Sierra Leone being 18 years of age and of sound mind shall have the right to vote and accordingly shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda. At any public elections or referenda, voting shall be by secret ballot.
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VR004

Body responsible for voter registration

Question:	Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:	d. Election Management Body (specify)
Comments:	National Electoral Commission. (NEC)
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VR008

Compulsory voter registration

Question:	Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Voting Operations

VO003

Electors vote at

Question:	Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):	a. At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections j. Other
Comments:	Special provision for IDPs and refugees.
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VO004

Voting outside the country is permitted for

Question:	Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):	g. Other
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VO005

Locations for voting outside of the country

Question:	If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):	c. Special polling stations
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

VO011

Voting method

Question:	How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):	a. Manually marking of ballots
Comments:	By maintaing the secrecy of voting
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Parties and Candidates

PC001

Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	a. Signature requirement (specify requirement) b. Deposit requirement (specify amount) c. Regional distribution requirement
Comments:	Deposit requirement: 250 USD
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

PC003

Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)

Question:	What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):	a. Age b. Citizenship f. Registration
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

PC008

Independent candidates

Question:	Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):	c. In legislative elections (Chamber 1)
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

PC012

Public funding of parties

Question:	Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):	c. Indirect
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Verified:	2006/11/20

PC015

Basis of public funding

Question:	What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):	d. Based on number of candidates put forward in present election
Comments:
Source:	International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Verified:	2006/11/20

PC017

Private funding of parties

Question:	Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/30

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Vote Counting

VC004

Voters are sorted/counted at

Question:	Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:	a. The polling stations
Comments:	The conduct of elections starts at 7a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. prompt if there are no other persons in the queue before 5p.m. Immediately after, the presiding officer sorts out the ballots in order of the candidates and in the presence of candidates (polling) agents and the full view of the public, counts the valid ballots and declares the result there and then.
Source:	National Electoral Commission Act 2002
Verified:	2009/11/04

VC011

Conditions for recount

Question:	Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):	d. By request
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2009/11/04

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Media and Elections

ME037

Parties receive free broadcast time based on

Question:	What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):	h. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/09

ME059

Existence of televised debates

Question:	Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):	a. Yes, in presidential elections b. Yes, in legislative elections
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/09

ME062

Blackout period for opinion polls

Question:	What is the blackout period, if any, during which results of pre-election opinion polls may not be released to the public?
Answer:	g. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2005/06/09

ME080

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Direct Democracy

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	SECTION 33,1991 CONSTITUTION OF SIERRA LEONE Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2005/06/08

DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	SECTION 33 1991 CONSTITUTION OF SIERRA LEONE Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2005/06/08

DD004

Optional referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD007

Recalls (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD129

Binding referenda

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	a. Always binding
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD130

National referenda deal with

Question:	Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:	c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26

DD131

Direct Democracy at sub-national level

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/26