IEBC Chairman Hassan. Professor Njoroge, U.S based - Pics/files

Professor Raphael Njoroge of Boston, who is working on creating a new university in Kenya, and others have engaged in intense discussions with Kenyans abroad who love Kenya and its future development on the voting in Kenya. The following suggestions would lead to less costly systems if well implemented, can lead to 99.99% efficiency in 2012 elections and ensure all Kenyan citizens enjoy the right to vote as provided in the constitution. The Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, led by its Chairman, Isaack Hassan, can further have the systems in place as early as January 31, 2012 for the elections in August 14th 2012. On whether the IEBC should wait for parliament to lead on this issue, the suggestion is IEBC formulate the necessary electoral systems and monetary budget expenses independently, publish its plan in newspapers and ultimately listen to the views of the public regarding its plan and incorporate some of the public’s views in its plan.

Simplified Creation of 290 Constituencies
This was noted as not complex and these points raised

1. Creation of 290 Constituencies based on census of 2009 of 38.69 million people would mean each constituency would be developed on the basis of a statistical mean of about 133,000 people. 
2. Since constituencies are allocated via counties then starting from the listed populated county and establishment of the least possible mathematical range. Best suggested range is 101,000 – 145,000. See analysis below. 
3. The IEBC allocate the population of each country based on the households established from the counting of the census 2009.
4. Done independently by the IEBC, without any interference from other arms of the government and self-seeking politicians, each household as counted 2009 could be allocated a constituency and polling station and planned system ready for implementation in 7 days.      

Simplified Registration of Voters
A voting system should be one that uses the least money possible, gives every Kenyan who is 18 years or older the right to vote, and ensures the highest integrity possible.  The following points were observed as compared to developed countries systems. 

1. From census results a voting right list can be compiled that would include all persons aged 18 today. This can be derived from census of 2009 persons aged 15 years and above then less the recorded deaths that have occurred and add any nationalized citizens since then.
2. A second list from Identification ID card issued can be made based on a deadline of 90 days before election or May 14th 2012. Every person who wants to vote would have a current I.D card.
3. Since people relocate, the IEBC can adjust location for those who have relocated by requiring that a person who has relocated fill out a form showing his or her current voter location if different from the 2009 census location.
4. This approach would mean that from the current estimated 41 million population of Kenya, 38.6 million plus the 3 million population growth, the Voting Right list could be about 23 million after deducting the 17 million aged 17 years and below.
5. Since the I.D card would become voting card, if 20 million people have I.D’s by May 15th then this would be the legal list of registered voters. 
   The relocation adjustment form would be about 2% of the 20 million and thus leading to list adjustments of 400,000 voters.
6. After development of the voting list then the IEBC would give each household the location details on where they are registered to vote for the various seats. 

Kenyans abroad Voting Right
Two points raised

1. The Kenyans abroad can only vote for the executive position of President, for they are not residents of any constituency at that given time.
2. The Voting Right list of potential Kenyans abroad can be derived from the relevant ministry issuing the passports. If say 4 million passports are currently issued then this becomes the Voting Right list.  

Kenyans abroad Mail-in Voting System
The mail-in voting system which is also called absentee ballot in the developed countries is the best system that has been applied by many states.  To ensure credibility of the system the following practices could be adhered to as created: 

1. The paper of the ballot should be made by one company with security water marks. This done say 60 days before elections after the registration is done.  
2. The envelope should be made by a different company with a special seal. It should have a box office number to be mailed.,e.g. If in U.S all ballots could go to a box office number address like: IEBC P.O. Box 00000, Washington, D.C, 00000
3. The printing of the ballot should be made by a third company using special ink and other color settings and only the exact number of requested ballots should be printed. This can be done in 5 days after the 45 day requirement of giving names is met. This will thus leave 40 days.
4. The developed ballot package can then put it in an envelope and add the instructions the voter should follow in voting and the date they should have mailed the vote so as to meet deadline. The ballot package should be dispatched by the 35 day before election.
5. The best way is to dispatch all the mail is together as bulk mail to the post office that will then send the mail to individual addresses. This would mean a maximum of 5 -10 days depending on county each voter would receive ballot.  This would mean each voter having the ballot 25 days before the Kenya elections.
6. Voters would be given up to 10 - 15 days based on mail system of country living abroad. All voters abroad would send their votes 10 days before election. 
7. The ballot would go to the consolidated office box in 5 days and then all ballots received 5 days before the elections dispatched to IEBC and received at least one day before elections and stored unsealed.
8. Once the elections in Kenya are completed, then unsealed envelopes would be open and each ballot run through a checking system and the tallying would start and this tally reported together with the other votes. 

This system would give every person living abroad a chance to vote and also creates a system that can achieve a 99.99% trust by the Kenyans. Further it would cost less than a dollar per every ballot requested. It would also extend the right to any person regardless of location provided mail reaches there. The most this would cost a person is the mailing of application form. If application done through online then this would cost the voters nothing as they can scan passport and proof of address and email.  

Kenyans abroad Voting Ballot Request   
The following points noted for mail-in ballot request

1. Any Kenyan who wants to receive a ballot would get a request form, fill it out and through postal mail or email send it to IEBC.
2. The person would attach a photocopy of passport and proof of address abroad.
3. The deadline can be say in 90 days before the election thus meaning May 14th 2012.
4. Once the request form for a ballot is received it would be matched to the Voting Right list established of all passports issued. 

Kenyan abroad Budget
The total cost for Kenyans abroad to vote would be about $1 per person if the system above is used. If 1 million Kenyans living abroad request for ballots this would be a cost of $1 million dollars. This is manageable as compared to the proposed embassy sites which would require bigger budgets, would not be accepted by many Kenyans living abroad, and would further deny many the right to vote through creation of a system that requires a big budget which is estimated to run to even $1,000 dollars and even 3 days per person just to get to the voting booth.   

Run off Voting Kenyans Abroad Vote 
The runoff would also be made possible by repeating the process of printing the envelope and the ballot as well as posting these materials to reach every voter by the 15th day. Each person would be required to send out the envelopes by the 20th day and these ballots would be in Kenya by the 30th day.

Integrity of Mail-in system and Documents stored against any legal challenge
The IEBC would have the legal list of all passports issued as given by relevant the Ministry. The IEBC would have the application forms and copies matching the total number of ballots issued. The IEBC would have the special envelopes, paper and ballot as created. This set of five systems would ensure that there is no room for manipulating the system. 

Allocation of the 290 seats to constituencies.
This is not complicated if census and household data is used and would be achieved in 7 days awaiting informing each household their constituency and polling station. 

A - Allocation done based on the lowest divergence from mean average of 133,500
B - Population inside Households that will form a constituency in a county and establish the boundaries of constituencies.