PRESENTED BY DAVID MWANZA
CARITAS ZAMBIA
 Will
discuss who voter education facilitators
are
 Will look at why voter education facilitators
are important
 Will discuss the importance of voter
education/voting
 Will discuss key things that a voter education
facilitator needs to highlight/know
Who are they?
 Should be able to get meaning from the three
words, that is; VOTER, EDUCATION, FACILITATORS
 It is important to carefully consider the words
 Education facilitators could be on any topic.
However Voter education facilitators focuss on
voters and the information they need to be able
to vote properly without difficulties and with
understanding of what exactly he/she is doing
 One can vote without knowing why he/she is
voting and with really understanding the process
and meaning

A
voter is a person on the voters roll, one
who is eligible to vote, an elector or member
of the electorate
 Education
(educator) refers to training,
teaching, learning or tutelage among others
A
facilitator is a HELPER, ORGANIZER
COORDINATOR
 One
would therefore not be wrong to say a
voter education facilitator is an ELECTOR
TRAINING HELPER
 In other words is a person(s) who helps
voters through some form of training,
learning process or tutoring in for purposes
of them being able to vote and vote rightly.
 Voter education facilitators have the
responsibility helping understand their role in
the electoral process
Citizens participation in governance is the
lifeblood of any democracy
 And for any democracy to be upheld there is
need for regular free and fair, credible and
legitimate elections.
 Therefore, for citizens to effectively take part in
governance they need to take part in electing
their leaders who will represent them at various
levels
 Again citizens need to understand the process,
significance of electing these leaders
 And for them to understand there is need for
voter education facilitators

It is true that the quality of governance is
directly related to the quality and level of
development in a country
 It is almost universally accepted that countries
with good governance records are better
developed with big percentage of their citizens
having better living conditions
 Governance of any country can only improve
with full involvement and participation of its
citizens
 And since governance is related to development,
it is true that for a country to develop citizens
need to be involved in both these processes

The role of voter education facilitators is
important because it influences the development
of the country
 As more and more citizens understand and
participate (get involved) in the process of
voting (governance), it is assumed or expected
that that the quality of governance will improve
thereby leading to development
 As a country continues to develop it is expected
that even the quality of governance will
continue to improve as citizens will become
more and more enlightened and will therefore
be able to participate in the process.





Rural voters especially women, youth and various
marginalized groups such as the differently abled
who reside in remote places usually do not have
access to voter education programmes
High levels of illiteracy is also a contributing factor to
low levels of knowledge among the general citizenry
on issues of election and voting-there is therefore
need to continuously engage in voter education
If elections are to reflect the will and wishes of the
people then voter education needs to be conducted
to help citizens make informed and better choices
In Zambia the electoral act No 12 of 2006 part VI
does highlight the importance of voter education
 It
is a right and therefore everyone should be
allowed to exercise it
 It allow citizens to have a say on who
governs them
 It is a fundamental principle of any
representative democracy
 It is one way citizens take part in the
governance process of the country
 It helps put the good leaders in office and
the bad ones out
 It allows change of government without
violence
A
voter education facilitator needs to know that
voter education AIMS at giving people
information about the voting process, who can
vote, what voting is and how one should vote
 He/She should understand that the aim of voter
education is to get as much people as possible
to vote during elections
 A voter education facilitator should understand
what a DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT is…
It is a government of the people, by the people
and for the people
 It
means people need to participate/take
part in decisions that affect their lives
 It also means that people elect their
representatives or governments that
represent their views, values, beliefs and
wishes
 A voter education facilitator needs to know
that a democratic government represents
MOST of the people and NOT ALL the peoplethe majority rule in a democracy
 She/he needs to understand that whether
right or wrong the majority’s wishes hold
She/he needs to know what an election isElections are when people vote for the best
individual or party that they feel will best
represent their own wishes and needs
 She/he needs to know and emphasize that for
elections to be free, fair, credible and legitimate
voters must be free to vote without fear,
intimidation, violence, bribery or force
 Who can vote……….in Zambia one needs to be
18years or older and have a National Registration
Card and be registered as a voter
 He/she should know what a BALLOT IS- a form
voters are given on election day to mark their
vote

Voter education facilitators need to know how to
vote- how does one vote (mark a ballot)
 He/ She needs to know and emphasize the
secrecy of voting
 He/she needs to know the role of monitors
during elections
 He/she should, even in brief, understand the
various electoral systems
1-single member plurality
2-single member majority
3-proportional representation
4-mixed member proportional system

 He/she
needs to know the rights of voters
 The role of the media and the role of citizens
in general
 She/he needs to be non-partisan or bias
while conducting their voter education
 She/he must be truthful in their efforts and
should be aware that if found deliberately
misinforming people she/he will be
prosecuted, hence should be factual.