Boat Rocking Vote

Some of the many ladies we know who didn't vote because
they didn't feel engaged or couldn't get the right papers.
(Our guard's wife, mother, mother in-law, aunt)

Voting in the Sahel is a huge topic that we could go on and on about until your eyes are sore. We are living through an election here right now and it is quite a new experience. First of all the voting took place about four days ago and we still do not know who the new President will be. Second, not all the voting took place on the appointed day, more than a handful of polling stations were delayed from opening til the next day because materials didn't make it to them yet. Third, some people we know have been trying for more than a month to pick up their papers for voting at the appropriate office and they have not been able to because of long lines. This is the saddest part of the election to me. The women friends that I have asked about voting either said they did not vote because they could not get this paper needed or voting wasn't their business. So I actually know very few people who voted (although international observers have noted a healthy representation of women and youth from their visual checks). Fourth, how do you vote in a mostly illiterate society? Well, there is registration about 3-4 months before the election. One has to show a birth certificate and verify s/he is over 18. Then you have to pick up the paper with the 15 candidates' pictures and names. You enter the voting place, put your ink stamped finger print on the candidate you want to vote for and drop the paper in the ballet box.

Then you wait 6 or so days for the votes to be counted. Our understanding is that at each polling station each political party has a representative to watch the counting and make sure it's done fairly. To get elected in the first round, a candidate has to get over 50% of the votes. With 15 candidates, it is nearly impossible to do. If one candidate does not get 50%, there will be a run-off election between the top two candidates a month later.

Maybe the hardest part for foreigners is the instability of it all. The knowledge that people are going to be upset and react with possibly extreme measures, probably at least protests in the streets. The knowledge that everyone who wanted to vote did not really have the opportunity to do so. The knowledge that the government might cut off internet, facebook, or text messages and even phone reception to stop people from co-coordinating civil unrest (this worked efficiently for them on a few occasions last year). Our family has to be ready to be stuck at home or ready to act on our emergency plan at any given moment. Growing up with democratic elections in the States, I have never had these experiences before. Certainly we are seeing that there are things to be improved about the elections everywhere, but there are many great things to celebrate about our system too.

--La Maestra