In compliance with Article 61 (1)(e) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, and Section 20 of the Electoral Commission Act (Cap 176), the Electoral Commission will today 20th January begin an exercise of updating National Voters’ Register, in preparation for the 2025-2026 General Elections. The exercise will go up to10th February
During this general update exercise, the Commission will also register eligible Ugandan citizens of 18 years and above, who are not yet registered as voters.
The Update Exercise will be a self-reporting exercise in which a person intending to register as a voter will turn up in person at an update centre to provide his/her details, have their photograph taken, and the signature and fingerprints captured
Application for Transfer of Voting Location
During the update exercise, registered voters who wish to transfer to new voting locations will be able to apply for such transfer;
A voter who wishes to transfer to a new voting location must present confirmation that he/she originates from or is, at the time of application for transfer, a resident of the Parish of that (new) voting location. Such applicants are required to present details of their previous voting location;
A person who wishes to apply for transfer of his or her voting location is Free to present himself/herself at any of the update centres where a registration kit will be stationed;
Confirmation of Registration Particulars
The update exercise will also enable registered voters to check and confirm that their particulars are on the Register at voting locations which they indicated during registration;
The exercise will further enable registered voters to confirm the accuracy of their particulars on the Voters Register and correct any error(s) that may be identified in their details on the Register;
To facilitate this confirmation, the Commission will display the Register of each polling station at each update station within the respective Parish/Ward. Registered voters can also verify their voting details at https://ec.or.ug/register.
For clarity, registered voters may only make necessary corrections regarding spelling mistakes, gender, and a mismatch of the photograph, as the case may be. Such voters will not be able to make changes to their age/date of birth, or include (new) additional names.
Update of Learners’ Information for Purposes of Voting
During this exercise, the details of learners who were registered by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and have since attained the age of 18 years will be updated and assigned a polling station within their parish of residence or origin;
Accordingly, such learners, who have become eligible for registration as voters, must not register afresh but are advised to present themselves at the registration/update centre with their National Identification Number (NIN) to specify their preferred polling stations for purposes of voting.
Update of Registers of Special Interest Groups
During this exercise, the Commission will also compile and update the following Voters’ Registers:
The National Youths Voters’ Register for election of Youth Councils and Committees;
The National PWDs Voters’ Register for the election of PWD Councils and Committees;
The National Older Persons Voters’ Register for election of Older Persons Councils and Committees.
Cut-off Date for Registration of Voters and Application for Transfer of Voting Location
The Electoral Commission has appointed Monday 10th February 2025, as the cut-off date for registration of voters in Uganda.
The application for registration and transfer of voters from one polling station to another within Uganda will not be conducted after this date.
Conclusion
The general update of the National Voters Register is a very important exercise in preparation for the smooth organisation and conduct of the 2025/2026 General Elections.
