As the early legislative elections of November 17, 2024 approach, Birame Sène, Director General of Elections at the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, took stock of the state of preparations.
Guest of the National Radio Morning Show this Monday, October 7, Birame Sène, Director General of Elections at the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security of Senegal, detailed the progress of preparations for the early legislative elections, scheduled for November 17, 2024.
The magistrate first noted the importance of the different stages of the electoral process, recalling that “ election is a process » which requires several actions before the day.
Birame Sène explained that the establishment of a commission dedicated to receiving application files was a key moment in this process. This commission, headed by Divisional Commissioner Abdou Aziz Sarr, Director of Electoral Operations, is made up of agents from the General Directorate of Elections, the Directorate of File Automation and the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA). “ This commission worked in an atmosphere of serenity and total transparency “, he assured.
Mr. Sène indicated that the process started with the notification of the names of coalitions and entities bringing together independent candidates, followed by a drawing of lots to determine the order of submission of applications. “ 50 coalitions and entities notified their names, and 46 political groups participated in the draw “, he clarified.
However, when submitting applications, several candidates saw their applications rejected for various reasons, including ineligibility or non-compliant documents. Birame Sène explained the admissibility criteria, such as verification of administrative documents (identity card, birth certificate, criminal record), respect for parity and compliance with deadlines. He also praised the speed of certain agents in regularizing their files after being notified of the defects. “ We even had a foreclosure case, where an applicant filed late “, he mentioned.
The Chief Electoral Officer also responded to the controversy over the size of the ballot papers. Some media had mentioned an imposition by the ministry of a reduced format for these bulletins. Birame Sène denied this information, specifying that the format of the ballots is governed by article L-58 of the electoral code. “ We have never imposed a format, this is clearly defined in the law “, he said.
He also recalled that a proposal to move to a reduced format was put forward by a member of civil society for economic and practical reasons, in particular to facilitate the printing of ballots and speed up the voting process. According to him, this option could allow the State to achieve savings of nearly 8 billion FCFA. However, he specified that the final decision will be taken after consultation with the representatives of the coalitions, ensuring that the State will take all its responsibilities.
Regarding the delivery of electoral materials, Birame Sène reassured public opinion: “ All heavy equipment, such as ballot boxes and voting booths, was transported two weeks ago to the 13 regions of Senegal, with the exception of Dakar which will be served in the coming days “. He specified that the printing of the ballots is pending the final lists of candidates, which will be known after the publication of the provisional candidacies.
Despite the anticipation of this election, Birame Sène was optimistic about respecting the electoral calendar. “ The State of Senegal has taken all measures to guarantee a transparent and peaceful election “, he concluded.
On September 12, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved the National Assembly, setting the date of the legislative elections for November 17.
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