Info

Tanzania, United Republic of

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Boundary Delimitation

BD001

Delimitation of constituencies

Question:	Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	Subject to the other provisions of this Article, the United Republic shall be demarcated into constituencies of such number and in such manner as shall be determined by the Electoral Commission after obtaining the consent of the President
Source:	Constitution, art. 75:1
Verified:	2009/10/15

BD003

Criteria for drawing boundaries

Question:	On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):	e. Geographic size of district g. Other
Comments:	In demarcating the boundaries of constituencies, the Electoral Commission shall take due account of the availability of means of communication also the geographical conditions of the area intended demarcation into constituencies.
Source:	Constitution, art. 75:3
Verified:	2009/10/15

BD005

Body responsible for drawing boundaries

Question:	The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):	e. Electoral Management Body (EMB)
Comments:	Subject to the other provisions of this Article, the United Republic shall be demarcated into constituencies of such number and in such manner as shall be determined by the Electoral Commission after obtaining the consent of the President
Source:	Constitution, art. 75:1
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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 c. Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments:	The president is the Head of State & government; and also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
Source:	Constitution, art. 33:2, 38:1 & 41:6
Verified:	2009/10/15

ES002

Head of Government

Question:	How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:	b. Directly elected in general elections, absolute majority (with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments:	Any candidate contesting for the office of President shall be declared duly elected President only if he has obtained more than half of all the valid votes cast or, where a second ballot is held for the reason that no candidate obtained more than half of all the valid votes, if he obtains either more than half of all valid votes cast or more votes than any of the other candidates.
Source:	Constitution, art. 41:6
Verified:	2009/10/15

ES003

President

Question:	Does the country have a president?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	There shall be a President of the United Republic.
Source:	Constitution, art. 33:1
Verified:	2009/10/15

ES004

Number of Chambers

Question:	The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:	a. One chamber
Comments:	Legislative power in relation to all Union Matters and also in relation to all other matters concerning Mainland Tanzania is hereby vested in Parliament
Source:	Constitution, art. 64
Verified:	2009/10/15

ES005

Electoral System (Chamber 1)

Question:	What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):	a. Plurality (FPTP)
Comments:	Most members of parliament and local councils are elected through a single district plurality system.
Source:	Electoral Act, art. 81 International IDEA: Table of Electoral Systems Worldwide: http://www.idea.int/esd/world.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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 b. Separate legislation
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, Electoral Laws Act, Local Authorities Election Act
Verified:	2009/10/15

LF003

Electoral Law covers

Question:	The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):	a. National elections b. Regional elections c. Local elections
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Laws Act; Constitution, art. 74; Local Authorities Election Act
Verified:	2009/10/15

LF004

Compulsory/voluntary voting

Question:	Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):	a. Voting is voluntary
Comments:
Source:	Constitution, art. 5:1
Verified:	2009/10/15

LF007

Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)

Question:	What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):	a. Judiciary
Comments:	Every proceeding for the purposes of determining the question whether the election or appointment of any person to be Member of Parliament was valid or not... shall... first be instituted and heard in the High Court of the United Republic.
Source:	Constitution, art. 83:1 a-b & 4
Verified:	2009/10/15

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Electoral Management

EM001

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

Name of Institution: National Election Commission
Website Address: http://www.nec.go.tz/

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:
Source:	Constitution, art. 74:6 Electoral Laws Act, Local Authorities Election Act
Verified:	2009/10/16

EM004

EMB budget determined by

Question:	The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):	c. The legislature
Comments:	All expenses incurred by the Commission, including the remuneration are charged on and paid out of the consolidated fund, which is a public fund...
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 122
Verified:	2009/10/15

EM005

EMB expenditures controlled by

Question:	The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):	g. Other
Comments:	The Controller and Auditor General has the responsibility to ensure that the use of money proposed to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund has been authorized and it has been used for the stipulated purpose.
Source:	Constitution, art. 136 & 143
Verified:	2009/10/16

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:	A commissioner ceases to be a member of the Commission after the expiry of five years from the date of his/her appointment or if any event arises which, if he/she were not a member of the Commission, would cause him/her to be disqualified for appointment as a Commissioner.
Source:	Cosntitution, art. 74: 4 National Electoral Commission of Tanzania Official Website: http://www.nec.go.tz/?modules=about&sub&op=structure
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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 g. NGOs/ Civic Organizations h. Political parties/ candidates j. Religious Institutions k. Other
Comments:	One of the responsibilities of National Election Commission is to provide voter education in Tanzania and co-ordinate and supervise persons who conduct such education.
Source:	National Election Commission of Tanzania (NEC) Official Website: http://www.nec.go.tz/?modules=about&sub&op=roles
Verified:	2007/09/17

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:	2002/09/10

VE003

National civic education

Question:	Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):	b. Yes, conducted by the National Electoral Management Body i. Yes, conducted by Political Parties/ Candidates
Comments:	The efforts are first and foremost being made by the electoral commission as well as participating political parties.
Source:
Verified:	2002/09/18

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Voter Registration

VR001

Voting age

Question:	What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:	c. 18
Comments:	Every citizen of Tanzania who has attained the age of eighteen years shall, unless he is disqualified by this or any other Act, be entitled to be registered under and in accordance with the provisions of this Act as a voter.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 10 Constitution, art. 5
Verified:	2009/10/15

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
Comments:
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 10.
Verified:	2009/10/15

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:	The National Electoral Commission of Tanzania co-ordinates the registration of voters and the conduct of the elections.
Source:	Constitution, art. 74: 6
Verified:	2009/10/15

VR008

Compulsory voter registration

Question:	Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:	Any person entitled to be registered as a voter at any polling district and who has not been so registered may present himself in cases where under the provisions of sub-section (1) facilities for registration are made available at polling districts, at the relevant polling district.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 15:2
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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 i. By tendered ballot
Comments:	Everyone who wishes to vote shall present himself at the polling station allocated to him in the polling district for which he is registered. No person shall be admitted to vote at any polling station except at the polling station assigned to him in the polling district in which he is registered as a voter.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 61 & 63
Verified:	2009/10/15

VO004

Voting outside the country is permitted for

Question:	Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):	a. Outside the country voting is not permitted
Comments:
Source:	Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook (2007) http://www.idea.int/publications/voting_from_abroad/upload/annex-a.pdf
Verified:	2009/10/15

VO005

Locations for voting outside of the country

Question:	If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):	h. Not applicable
Comments:
Source:	Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook (2007) http://www.idea.int/publications/voting_from_abroad/upload/annex-a.pdf
Verified:	2009/10/15

VO011

Voting method

Question:	How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):	a. Manually marking of ballots
Comments:	A voter shall record his vote in a presidential election, by putting a mark in the appropriate place on the ballot paper to indicate whether he votes in favor or against the candidate and in parliamentary elections, by putting a mark against the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote thereby recording no more than one vote.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 61e
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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):	e. Minimum number of candidates f. Other
Comments:	Each party has to be provisionally registered first. In order to do so, the party has to accompany the registration application with a copy of the constitution of the proposed party and ensure that its membership is voluntary and open to all citizens of the United Republic without discrimination. In addition to provisional registration, the party has to have no less than 200 members who are qualified to be registered as voters for parliamentary elections from each of at least 10 regions out of which at least 2 regions are in Tanzania Zanzibar being one region each from Zanzibar and Pemba. The party also has to submit the names of the national leadership of the party and such leadership draws its members from both Tanzania Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland. Tha party also has to submit to the registrar the location of its head office.
Source:	The Political Parties Act, art. 9-10
Verified:	2009/10/16

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 h. Minimum level of education i. Minimum level of literacy j. Other
Comments:	A person who wants to contest a parliamentary seat must meet the following qualifications: Tanzanian citizenship, age of at least 21 years, ability to read and write in English or Kiswahili, and membership of or candidacy proposed by a political party.
Source:	Constitution, art. 67
Verified:	2009/10/15

PC008

Independent candidates

Question:	Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):	a. Neither in presidential nor legislative elections
Comments:	One of the qualifications for running in both presidential and legislative elections is that the candidates are members of and candidates proposed by a political party.
Source:	Constitution, art. 39 & 67
Verified:	2009/10/15

PC012

Public funding of parties

Question:	Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):	b. Direct c. Indirect
Comments:	The Government shall disburse up to not more than 2% of the annual recurrent budget, less the amount payable in defraying the national debt, in the grant of subventions to political parties in pursuance of the provisions of this act. In addition to this subvention, the government shall grant an annual subvention to every qualifying party in relation to its local government authority activities which shall be such an amount as the minister may determine, and which shall be computed based on the number of the members of the party who are members of a district or urban council.
Source:	Political Parties (Amendment) Act, art. 16
Verified:	2009/10/16

PC015

Basis of public funding

Question:	What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):	b. Based on result of previous election e. Other
Comments:	The government shall grant an annual subvention to every qualifying party in relation to its local government authority activities which shall be such an amount as the minister may determine, and which shall be computed based on the number of the members of the party who are members of a district or urban council. In addition, the party has to be fully registered and it has to have had in the immediately preceeding general or local government election any of its candidates elected to be a member of the parliament or of a local government authority. 50% of the funds shall be disbursed amongst qualifying parties on basis of the ratio between the number of parliamentary constituencies in the United Republic. The other 50% of the funds shall be disbursed amongst qualifying parties each of which won not less than 5% of all the valid votes cast in all constituencies in the United Republic, and shall be disbursed among those parties on the basis of the ratio between the total number of the valid votes cast for the parliamentary candidates of a party and the total number of all the valid votes cast in the parliamentary election for all the qualifying parties.
Source:	Political Parties (Amendment) Act, art. 16 - 17
Verified:	2009/10/16

PC017

Private funding of parties

Question:	Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	The funds and other resources of political parties which have been fully registered shall derive from: - membership fees - voluntary contributions - the proceeds of any investment, project or undertaking in which the party has interest - subventions from the government - donations, bequests and grants from any other source
Source:	Political Parties Act, art. 13
Verified:	2009/10/16

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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 Returning Officer shall make arrangements for counting the votes in the presence of the counting agents as soon as practicable after the close of the poll in the constituency and shall, so far as practicable proceed continuously with counting, allowing only reasonable time for refreshment until it is complete.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 71
Verified:	2009/10/15

VC011

Conditions for recount

Question:	Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):	c. Automatically (triggered) recounted under certain conditions d. By request
Comments:	Where an equality of votes is found to exist between the candidates in a contested election so that an addition of a vote would entitle any of them to be declared elected, the Ruining Officer shall make a recount of the votes cast. A candidate or his counting agent may, if present when the counting or any recount of the votes is completed, require the Returning Officer to have the votes recounted or again recounted but the Returning Officer may refuse to make a third or subsequent recount if the results of the last two recounts were the same.
Source:	Electoral Laws Act, art. 77-78
Verified:	2009/10/15

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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:	2009/10/16

ME059

Existence of televised debates

Question:	Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):	d. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16

ME080

Maximum amount for paid advertising

Question:	Is there a maximum amount that a political party is permitted to spend on paid advertising during a campaign period?
Answer:	c. No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified:	2009/10/16

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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:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/16

DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory 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:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16

DD129

Binding referenda

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	e. Not applicable
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/16

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:	e. Not applicable
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified:	2009/10/16

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:	2009/10/16