ZEC's Overall Functions

a) To prepare for, conduct and supervise -

• elections to the office of President and to Parliament;
• elections to provincial and metropolitan councils and the governing bodies of local authorities;
• elections of members of the National Council of Chiefs established by section 285;
• referendums; and to ensure that those elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law;

(b) To supervise elections of the President of the Senate and the Speaker and to ensure that those elections are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law;

(c) To register voters;

(d) To compile voters’ rolls and registers;

(e) To ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers;

(f) To delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries;

(g) To design, print and distribute ballot papers, approve the form of and procure ballot boxes, and establish and operate polling centres;

(h) To conduct and supervise voter education;

(i) To accredit observers of elections and referendums;

(j) To give instructions to persons in the employment of the State or of a local authority for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, free, fair, proper and transparent conduct of any election or referendum; and

(k) To receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;

Additional Functions and Powers of the Commission

In addition to the functions set out in section 239 of the Constitution, the Commission shall be responsible for –

(a)  undertaking and promoting research into electoral matters; and

(b)  developing expertise and the use of technology in regard to electoral processes; and

(c)  promoting co-operation between the Government, political parties and civil society in regard to elections; and

(d)  keeping the public informed about –

•  the times and places where persons can register as voters and the progress of the voter registration exercise;
•  the delimitation of wards, constituencies and other electoral boundaries;
•  the location and boundaries of polling stations and when they are open;
•  voters’ rolls and the times and places at which they are open for inspection;
•  political parties and candidates contesting every elections;
•  voting; and generally, all matters relating to the Commission’s work and the electoral process;
•  making recommendations to Parliament on appropriate ways to provide public financing for political parties.