By: Dawda M. Jallow
The Coalition of Progressive Gambians has called on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to immediately release and publish the supplementary voter register for verification ahead of the December 2026 Presidential Election.
In a press statement dated October 5, 2026, the coalition said it was concerned that the IEC had concluded the supplementary voter registration exercise but had not yet published, displayed or released the register to political parties and other stakeholders for verification.
The coalition described the voter register as the foundation of a credible election and said its transparency and verification were essential to public confidence in the electoral process.
It argued that following supplementary registration, the provisional register should be made available for public scrutiny, including claims and objections, before it is finalised.
According to the coalition, failure to make the register available could create suspicion over issues including possible inflated figures, underage registration, registration of non-Gambians and multiple registrations.
The group also warned that the issue could affect confidence in the IEC, saying the commission’s reputation for independence must be supported by transparency.
The coalition questioned how citizens and political parties could identify and challenge questionable entries if they were unable to access the register.
It is therefore demanding that the IEC release the supplementary voter register in both electronic and hard-copy formats to registered political parties, independent candidates and accredited observer groups.
The coalition further called for the register to be displayed at IEC regional offices and registration centres for a minimum of 21 days for public verification, which it said was required under Section 25 of the Elections Act.
It also wants the IEC to publish statistics showing the number of new registrants by region, gender breakdown and the number of rejected or flagged entries.
In addition, the coalition called for a stakeholder briefing involving political parties and civil society organisations to explain the supplementary registration process, challenges encountered and the way forward before the register is finalised.
The Coalition of Progressive Gambians stressed that it was not accusing the IEC of manipulating the register, but said greater transparency was necessary to prevent such accusations. The group also referenced disputes surrounding the 2021 election, arguing that disagreements over the voter register contributed to a lack of trust and warning that The Gambia should avoid a repeat ahead of the 2026 election.
The coalition called on the IEC Chairman and Commissioners to uphold their responsibilities to the Constitution and Gambian people, while urging the Commission to release the supplementary register and protect confidence in the electoral process.