The Electoral Commission has issued clear guidelines to help Ugandans prepare for polling day ahead of the 2026 elections.
According to the Commission, all voters are expected to report to the polling station where they are registered. Voters must present either a National ID or a Voter Location Slip to be allowed to vote.
“If a voter does not have any of the two documents, the presiding officer will assist to confirm their details from the National Voters Register,” the Electoral Commission said in its statement.
The Commission explained that voter identification will be done using the Biometric Voter Verification Machine through fingerprint or facial scanning. Once verified, the presiding officer will issue ballot papers for the different elective positions.
Voters will then proceed to the voting basin to mark the candidate of their choice using a tick or thumbprint before folding the ballot paper and placing it in the correct ballot box.
After voting, a polling assistant will mark the voter’s finger to indicate that they have already voted.
The Electoral Commission reminded the public that polling stations will open at exactly 7:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m.
“We urge all registered voters to arrive early and exercise their right to choose their leaders,” the Commission said.
The announcement was issued on January 2, 2026, as part of efforts to ensure a free and fair electoral process across the country.
