The Uganda Electoral Commission has issued fresh guidance on how voting will be conducted in the January 2026 general elections, urging voters to properly mark their ballot papers to avoid invalid votes.

According to the Commission, voting in Uganda will be done manually using paper ballots, not electronic voting. Voters will be required to mark their preferred candidate directly on the ballot paper before placing it in the ballot box.

Use of Biometric Voter Verification Kit (BVVK)

The Electoral Commission clarified that the Biometric Voter Verification Kit (BVVK) will be used only to verify voters at polling stations before ballot papers are issued. The BVVK is meant to confirm voter identity and prevent multiple voting, but it does not record or cast votes.

No Electronic Voting in Uganda

The Commission emphasized that Uganda does not use electronic voting systems. All votes are cast on paper ballots and later counted according to established electoral procedures.

Importance of Correctly Marking Ballot Papers

Voters have been encouraged to learn how to correctly mark ballot papers to ensure their votes are not rejected as invalid. Proper marking is essential for a vote to be counted during tallying.

The Commission says voter education efforts will continue nationwide ahead of polling day to help citizens understand the Uganda election voting process.

Source: Uganda Electoral Commission (via official X/Twitter video)

Video Explanation: https://x.com/i/status/2002393361789980743