Friends,
returned from 12 days in Holland/Begium for European Football Championship
it is a surprise for me to see that you as gambian citizens living abroad
has no practice/rules for exercising your right as a citizen to cast your
vote in national elections.
I don´t see any reasons you should "pay" anything for exercising that
fundamental right, as suggested by some of you. It will be costy enough if
you got to travel to the nearest gambian representative to register and
vote.
In Denmark the rules are very specific. If you are registered in Denmark,
you can from 3 weeks ahead of election-day and until few days before
election day cast your vote by "mail" to the local authorities where you are
registered. That is for local elections, parliament elections, or any
referendum. By "mail" means that you go to the local authorities,where you
are registered , you get your "voting paper", you exercises the voting and
put it in an envelope which is sealed and kept safely and will not be opened
until the elections is declared ended and all the votes are going to be
counted.
It´s important that you personally present and identify yourself as the
voter registered.
When living or travelling abroad you can vote "by mail" at a danish
consulate or embassy.
In november 1997 we held elections in Denmark, and I left before (more than
3 weeks) it was possible to vote by letter, and stayed in The Gambia on
election day. I registered at the local danish authority (consulate) Mr.
Peter Smith (those days in Banjul, now Serekunda) and should be given the
papers so I could vote from The Gambia. Unfortunately something went wrong,
so Peter Smith never received the documents from the nearest danish Embassy
(in Marocco) and no papers from Denmark, so even I came to his office every
third or forth day under my visit to the Gambia, I could not vote. After
returning to Denmark I delivered a formal complain to the authorities in my
home town, that I for the first time in my life could not vote. The complain
went to the interior Ministry, which is the authority for elections, but due
to the situation they asked the foreign Ministry to examine why I as a
danish citizen was denied my legal right to vote. After several months of
investigations both in The Gambia and Marocco and the ministries, I got an
official "explanation" and "excuse" from the Ministry.
All this to say that voting-rights has to be handled very very strict and
with highest priority in a democratic country.
So I hope that you will have the same right as gambian citizens no matter
where you live, travel, study to vote both for parliamentary and
presidential elections.
I see no restrictions. You are registered gambians, you call the nearest
gambian representative where you are now staying, you go and identify
yourself (as you have to do it if it was at the voting place back home)
f.in. up till 1 week before election day and vote by "letter", the votes are
returned to the Gambia and will be handled as they were delivered there.
It is very seldom but is has happened that the "mailed-votes" changed the
situation here in Denmark. One seat moved to another person or party, and
majority changed after counting the "mailed votes".
I really do hope that most of you will be able to vote. It feels good to
exercise that right, even you sometimes think it doesn´t matter who and what
you vote for.
Just a comment from Asbjørn Nordam
on 14/06/00 0:56, MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Hi!
> I have decided to volunteer and draft a petition to enable Gambians abroad to
> vote as requested by Abdoulie Saine. Maybe others can volunteer and draft the
> other petitions requested by Abdoulie. Feel free to make any changes you wish.
> Thanks.
> Buharry.
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> _______
>
>
> Dear Sir,
>
> We the undersigned, as Gambians living abroad seeking to exercise our right to
> participate in choosing our representatives to public office as guaranteed
> under the Constitution of The Gambia, respectfully request your Commission to
> make arrangements and put in place mechanisms to make this a reality. We
> derive our wish to participate in electing our representatives not only as
> concerned citizens living abroad who make substantial financial, social, moral
> and other contributions to the development of our country, but also as
> citizens wishing to exercise rights guaranteed under the Constitution of The
> Gambia which is the fundamental law of the land. Section 26 of the
> Constitution states:
>
> "Every citizen of The Gambia of full age and capacity shall have the right,
> without unreasonable restriction -
>
>
> (a) to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely
> chosen representatives;
>
> (b) to vote and stand for elections at genuine periodic elections for public
> office, which elections shall be by universal and equal suffrage and be held
> by secret ballot;
>
> (c) to have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in The
> Gambia."
>
> We believe that it is within your mandate to make the exercise of our rights a
> reality as section 141 of the Elections Decree states:
>
> "The Independent Electoral commission may make rules for Gambians in any
> foreign country to vote in a Presidential election."
>
> We therefore respectfully request and urge you and your Commission to look
> into ways and means of making our wish to participate in the election of our
> public officers a reality. Whilst awaiting your co-operation and consideration
> in this issue, we would like to thank you in advance and extend the best of
> wishes in the execution of the noble task you have been entrusted with.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Concerned Gambians.
>
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