Separate lines for poll

By MALUM NALU
ELECTORAL Commissioner Patilias Gamato wants to see a separate line for women, the elderly and disabled people to the polling station make voting easier for them.
“We want to make some reforms in the polling stations,” he told The National.
“I want to have two lines entering the polling station. We give access to women and girls, including the elderly and disabled, on one line while the males stand in the other line.
“In my view, that is a good start so that we allow women and girls including the elderly and marginalised people to have access to the polling station.”
Gamato said if the number of voters in a particular area was high, more issuing stations should be set up and ballot papers issued.
“In that way, we deal with that (issue of ballot papers) quickly,” he said.
“If we have two lines, and more issuing stations, women and girls can have access to the ballot papers to cast their votes. Those are some small things, but very important fundamentals, in terms of giving access to women and girls.”
The 2017 general election will begin with the issuing of the writs on April 20.
This may be moved to May 20 if Parliament approves a proposal by Gamato.