Gambia: IEC Sets Presidential Nomination Dates, Other Key Election Activities

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced that presidential nominations for The Gambia’s December 2026 election will take place from 3 to 14 November, as preparations for the presidential poll enter a critical stage.

IEC Chairman Joseph Colley announced on Thursday during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre. The presidential election is scheduled for 5 December 2026.

The Commission said nomination forms will be issued from 21 September, giving prospective candidates time to prepare their documents before the formal nomination period. The engagement focused on the ongoing work of the revising courts and preparations for the presidential election.

Colley said the revising courts are currently hearing cases and expressed hope that they will complete their work within the 60 days provided under the Elections Act. He said the IEC would not interfere with the work of the courts.

“The Commission will not interfere in their work,” Colley said.

The Gambia currently has 14 revising courts. Kanifing Magistrate’s Court has two revising courts, while Bundung Magistrate’s Court has one serving the Yarambamba area. Brikama Magistrate’s Court has two, while Mansakonko Magistrate’s Court also has two. Kerewan Administrative Area has two revising courts, one in Kerewan and the other in Farafenni. The Central River Region has three, sitting at Kaur, Kuntaur and Janjanbureh, while the Upper River Region has two, both sitting at the Basse Magistrate’s Court. The IEC said it could not comment on the work of the revising courts until they complete their work because they are courts of law.

The IEC has already published the Gazette notice for the election and completed the appointment of returning officers, senior assistant returning officers and arrangements for the collation of results.

The appointments and collation arrangements were completed on 2 September in line with Section 39 of the Elections Act, which requires the Commission to publish a notice in the Gazette when an election becomes necessary and to state the relevant dates and places.

The Commission will begin issuing nomination forms on 21 September in line with Section 41(5) of the Elections Act. The section provides that nomination papers must be obtained free of charge from the appropriate Returning Officer before nominations close. The formal nomination of presidential candidates will take place from 3 to 14 November.

Under Section 41 of the Elections Act, a presidential candidate must be nominated by at least 5,000 registered voters. The candidate must also provide the contact details, including telephone numbers, of the voters nominating him or her. A candidate must submit a sworn declaration of assets and a tax certificate showing that all taxes due have been paid.

Section 41 also prevents a voter from signing nomination papers for more than one candidate for the same office. Where a voter signs more than one, only the first nomination paper delivered will count.

The Commission will advertise for election and polling staff on 2 October in line with Section 6 of the Elections Act. Under Section 6, the IEC is responsible for appointing election officers, presiding officers and other staff required to conduct the election. The law also sets conditions for appointment. A person cannot serve as an election officer if he or she is not qualified to register as a voter, has been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, or has been involved in election fraud or convicted of an election-related offence.

The nomination of candidates and correction of nomination documents will take place from 3 to 14 November in line with Sections 41, 46 and 48 of the Elections Act. Under Section 46, a Returning Officer can reject a nomination paper if the information or documents submitted do not meet the legal requirements. However, rejection does not automatically prevent a candidate from submitting a fresh nomination paper, provided it is delivered before nominations close. Section 48 provides for objections to nominations. A registered voter may object where the candidate cannot be properly identified from the nomination paper, where the nomination paper does not comply with the law, or where it appears that the candidate is not qualified to contest the office.

Objections must be made in writing to the Returning Officer between 8 am and 4 pm. The law also allows a nomination paper to be corrected until 5pm on the day of nomination where an objection has been filed. The Returning Officer must decide on the objection and inform the candidate. Under Section 48(6), a decision by a Returning Officer on a nomination paper or objection can be appealed to the IEC in writing within two days of the decision.

The campaign period will begin on 16 November. The reconciliation of campaign itineraries and programmes of candidates will take place on 15 November. The campaign period will begin on 16 November in line with Section 85 of the Elections Act. Section 85 gives the IEC the authority to determine the campaign period after nominations close.

The law requires the Commission to publish an order in the Gazette stating when campaigning can begin and end. It also allows the IEC to set different campaign schedules for different offices, political parties and candidates.

The IEC will supply contesting political parties with the voters’ roll or register in soft copy on 20 November in line with Section 57 of the Elections Act. Section 57 deals with equipment and materials required for polling. It requires the Commission to provide Presiding Officers with the relevant register of voters, ballot drums, ballot tokens and other materials needed to conduct the poll. The materials must be certified and stamped by a person designated by the Commission and acknowledged by the signature of the Presiding Officer receiving them.

The final day for candidates to withdraw from the presidential election will be 24 November in line with Section 50 of the Elections Act. Section 50 allows a candidate to withdraw by submitting a written notice to the Returning Officer not later than 11 days before Election Day. Where a candidate was nominated by a political party, the party may, within seven days of the withdrawal, field another candidate. The replacement candidate must go through the nomination process, although the Returning Officer may give shorter notice for the new nomination. Regional training for polling staff will take place from 27 to 29 November in line with Section 6 of the Elections Act. The deployment of commandeered vehicles to regional offices will take place on 2 December. An election observer briefing is also scheduled for 2 December under Section 133 of the Elections Act.

The cooling-off period will be observed on 4 December, one day before Election Day, in line with Section 88 of the Elections Act. Section 88 requires all campaign activities to stop between the end of the campaign period and Election Day. It states that “all election campaign activities shall cease” during this period, while public media will be made available to the IEC to provide information on voting procedures. No campaign or campaign publicity will therefore be allowed on the cooling-off day.

The presidential election will be held on 5 December 2026 under Section 46 of the 1997 Constitution and Section 39(b) of the Elections Act. Section 39 requires the IEC to publish an election notice in the Gazette and state the date and place for the nomination of candidates as well as the date or dates on which the election will be held.

The Gazette for the presidential election states that voting will take place throughout The Gambia from 8 am to 5 pm on 5 December 2026.

The Gazette has also named the Returning Officer and Senior Assistant Returning Officers responsible for the different administrative areas.

The Gazette has been published for public notice and is available for purchase from the Gambia Public Printing Corporation.

IEC Chairman Joseph Colley will serve as the Returning Officer for the presidential election. The Senior Assistant Returning Officers are Abdullah K. Jeng for Banjul, Cherno M. Jallow for Kanifing Municipality, Lamin Cham for Yarambamba, Lamin J. Jadama for Brikama and Baboucarr Ndong for Sibanor. Yarambamba covers Busumbala, Old Yundum and Sanneh Mentereng constituencies. Brikama covers Kombo East, Kombo South, Brikama North and Brikama South. Sibanor covers Foni Berefet, Foni Bondali, Foni Bintang, Foni Kansala and Foni Jarrol. Haddy Sedat Jobe-George will serve as Senior Assistant Returning Officer for Kerewan, while Ahmadou Taal will serve Mansakonko. Janjanbureh is divided into two areas, with Wassu Neneh Jobe responsible for the north and Sulayman Joof for the south. Essa Baldeh will serve as Senior Assistant Returning Officer for Basse.

The IEC has designated nine centres where results will be collated. In Banjul, the collation centre will be Gambia Senior Secondary School. Kanifing Municipality will use Latrikunda Upper School. Yarambamba will use New Yundum Academy Senior Secondary School, while Brikama will use the University of Education, formerly known as The Gambia College. Sibanor’s collation centre will be Sibanor Upper Basic School. Mansakonko will use Pakalinding Upper Basic School, while Janjanbureh will use Methodist Lower Basic School. Wassu will use Niani Senior Secondary School, and Basse will use Nasir Ahmadiyaa Muslim Senior Secondary School.

The IEC has outlined the requirements for anyone seeking to contest the presidency. Under Section 41 of the Elections Act, a presidential candidate must meet the legal requirements for nomination and secure the required support of registered voters. The candidate must be a Gambian citizen by birth or descent and must be at least 30 years old. The candidate must also have completed senior secondary school. The candidate must be nominated by at least 5,000 registered voters and submit the required nomination documents. Candidates must provide a sworn and notarised declaration of assets and a tax clearance certificate showing that they have paid all taxes due. They must also pay a deposit of one million dalasis into the IEC bank account. Candidates are required to provide a representative symbol, colour and digital photographs. The IEC has also stated that a person qualified to register as a voter under the Constitution and the Elections Act may contest as an independent candidate. Political parties and candidates must follow the election campaign ethics code prepared by the IEC. They must also submit manifestos that promote tolerance and multiculturalism.

The IEC said three political parties have completed the registration process and have been cleared, but their names will be announced once the Commission completes the necessary clearance process. There are currently 24 registered political parties in The Gambia. If the three new parties are formally announced, the number of registered parties will rise to 27.

The IEC is continuing preparations for the 5 December presidential election while the revising courts complete their work.

By Foroyaa.