Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities: Swaziland - www.electionaccess.org Text Only Version
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Swaziland

General Right to Vote
Electoral Law:
(16 December 1992: Establishment of Parliament)
• Section 7 states: "The nomination of candidates and the election of elected members of the House of Assembly shall be done by secret ballot at both primary and secondary levels."
• Section 9, subsection (1) states: "Subject to the provisions of section 7, a person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter for the purpose of election of elected members of the House of Assembly if, and shall not be qualified unless, he has attained the age of eighteen years and is a citizen of Swaziland."

Exclusion Based on Mental Disability
Electoral Law:
(16 December 1992: Establishment of Parliament)
• Section 10 states: "No person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter or to vote, if (a) he is certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law in force in Swaziland…"
• Section 20, subsection (1) states: "No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Senator or to be elected as an elected member of appointed as a nominated member (sic) of the House of Assembly who…(e) is certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law for the time being in force in Swaziland."

Voter Assistance by Other Citizens
Electoral Law:
(16 December 1992: Establishment of Parliament)
(16 December 1992: Elections Order)
• Section 35, subsection (1) states: "On application by a voter who, owing to inability to read or on account of blindness or other physical infirmity, is unable to vote in the manner provided by section 33 the presiding officer shall take the voter aside and shall ascertain from him, no other person being present or within hearing the name of the candidate or candidates for whom he wishes to vote."
• Section 35, subsection (2) continues: "The presiding officer shall then immediately go into the polling booth with the voter and mark the ballot paper of the voter in the manner directed by the voter and the presiding officer shall thereupon fold the ballot paper as required by this Order and, in the case of an ordinary ballot paper put it into the ballot box, in the case of a tendered ballot paper, retain it to be dealt with as provided…"
• Section 35, subsection (3) states: "The presiding officer shall enter the number and name as shown on the voters list of any voter whose ballot paper has been marked by him


 
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