By Jones Gadama
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced that vote counting in the 2025 general elections will be conducted manually at each polling station immediately after voting ends.
According to MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, the counting process will follow a specific sequence, starting with the Presidential ballot, followed by Parliamentary, and then Local Government elections.
In a bid to ensure transparency and efficiency, the Commission will implement a hybrid system for result transmission.
This system combines the manual delivery of physical result sheets with the electronic transmission of scanned copies and computer-generated results to the National Tally Centre.
After the manual counting at polling stations, all voting materials, including sealed ballot boxes, result forms, and other documents, will be safely packed and transported to Constituency Tally Centres (CTCs).
At these centres, results will be checked, recorded, scanned, and transmitted to the District and National Tally Centres (DTCs and NTC).
The MEC has assured that any complaints arising during the tallying process will be addressed at each centre, and all documents will be properly handled.
Once the results are verified, they will be signed and handed over to representatives of political parties and independent candidates present at the time.
This approach aims to enhance the credibility and transparency of the electoral process, ensuring that the voices of Malawian voters are accurately reflected in the outcome of the 2025 elections.
