Complaints and Appeals

Effective, clear, and fair procedures for electoral dispute resolution are an essential part of a well functioning electoral process.[6] Voters and other electoral stakeholders must be given, and must perceive that they possess, a voice in the quality of the electoral process if the process is to retain credibility. The HNEC detailed the mechanism for filing complaints during the electoral process in a decree issued on June 27, 2012.[7]

Carter Center observers report that several dozen complaints relating to election day were filed at the district level. Nearly all of these complaints relate to administrative or procedural issues at the polling station level. While awaiting timely resolution of each complaint, the Center notes than none appear to undermine the integrity of the process as a whole.

Complaints related to the results of the election must be filed within 48 hours of the announcement of preliminary final results. The courts then have five days to reach a decision. An appeal can be submitted within 48 hours of the court's decision, and the court then has five days to rule on the appeal. In total, the complaints process should last no longer than 14 days. The Carter Center will continue to monitor the electoral complaints process and will include its findings in its final report.