Kenya election glossary
Plain-language explanations of the terms used in Kenyan elections — from agent to voter register — with links to the law that defines them.
Definitions below are VotePulse's own explanations. Where the Elections Act, the Elections (General) Regulations or the Constitution defines a term, we say so and link to the official text on Kenya Law; the official text prevails.
21 terms
- Agent Defined in law
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A person appointed by a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in an election. The legal definition expressly includes counting agents and tallying agents.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; appointment under section 30.
Elections Act, 2011 · Elections Act, 2011 · Polling agent guide →
- Ballot paper Defined in law
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The paper on which a voter records their choice. The legal definition also covers an electronic ballot or its equivalent where electronic voting is used.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act.
- Candidate Defined in law
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A person contesting an elective post. Candidates are nominated by a political party or stand as independents with the required number of supporters.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; supporter thresholds in Articles 99, 137 and 193 of the Constitution.
Elections Act, 2011 · Constitution, Article 99 · Who can stand for each office →
- Constituency Defined in law
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One of the 290 single-member electoral units that each elect a Member of the National Assembly. The IEBC reviews constituency names and boundaries every eight to twelve years.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act by reference to Article 89 of the Constitution.
Elections Act, 2011 · Constitution, Article 89 · Constituencies by county →
- Counting agent Defined in law
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An agent who observes the counting of votes at a polling station. The candidate or party must give the presiding officer the agent’s details and appointment letter at least 48 hours before the poll closes.
Included in the section 2 definition of "agent"; notice requirement in regulation 74 of the Elections (General) Regulations.
- County Defined in law
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One of Kenya’s 47 devolved units listed in the First Schedule to the Constitution. Each county elects a governor, a senator and a woman representative.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act by reference to Article 6(1) of the Constitution.
Elections Act, 2011 · Constitution, Article 6 · All 47 counties →
- County assembly ward Explanation
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A single-member electoral unit that elects one Member of County Assembly. Kenya has 1,450 wards; the IEBC reviews them periodically.
Articles 89(3) and 177(1)(a) of the Constitution. The Elections Act lists "ward" as an electoral area but does not define it separately.
Constitution, Article 89 · Constitution, Article 177 · Wards by county →
- Election Defined in law
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A presidential, parliamentary or county election, including a by-election. General elections are held on the second Tuesday in August every fifth year.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; date in Article 101 of the Constitution.
Elections Act, 2011 · Constitution, Article 101 · Kenya 2027 General Election →
- Election period Defined in law
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The period from the IEBC’s notice of a presidential, parliamentary or county election until the election results are gazetted.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act.
- Election results Explanation
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The official outcome declared by the IEBC through its presiding and returning officers. Results are declared at each polling station on the relevant form, then tallied; electronically transmitted results are provisional until confirmed.
Regulations 79, 82 and 83 of the Elections (General) Regulations; Article 138 of the Constitution for the presidential result.
Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Constitution, Article 138
- Electoral area Defined in law
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The area a seat is elected from: a constituency, a county or a ward.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act.
- IEBC Defined in law
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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, established by the Constitution to conduct or supervise elections and referenda, register voters and delimit constituencies and wards.
Article 88 of the Constitution; "Commission" is defined in section 2 of the Elections Act.
- KIEMS Explanation
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The Kenya Integrated Elections Management System — the IEBC’s name for its election technology system used to identify voters and transmit results. The law itself speaks of an “integrated electronic electoral system”.
Name as used in IEBC tenders considered by the High Court (Mirambo v IEBC [2022]); legal framework in section 44 of the Elections Act and the Elections (Technology) Regulations.
Mirambo & another v IEBC & another [2022] KEHC 11763 (KLR) · Elections Act, 2011 · Elections (Technology) Regulations, 2017 · Election technology in Kenya →
- Observer Defined in law
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A person or organisation accredited by the IEBC to observe an election or referendum. Accredited observers may be admitted to polling stations and tallying centres.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; accreditation under regulation 94.
- Polling agent Explanation
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The common name for an agent posted at a polling station. A party may appoint one agent for its candidates at each station, and agents must wear the IEBC-issued badge while on duty.
Section 30 of the Elections Act and regulation 62 of the Elections (General) Regulations. The law uses the term "agent".
Elections Act, 2011 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Polling agent guide →
- Polling station Defined in law
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Any room, place, vehicle or vessel set apart and equipped for voters to cast their votes.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act.
- Presiding officer Defined in law
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The election official in charge of a polling station. The presiding officer admits people to the station, seals the ballot boxes, conducts the count and declares the results there.
Defined in regulation 2 of the Elections (General) Regulations (appointed under regulation 5); duties in regulations 62, 67 and 79.
Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012
- Returning officer Defined in law
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An official appointed by the IEBC to conduct an election in an electoral area and tally the results from its polling stations.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; tallying under regulation 83.
- Tallying centre Explanation
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The venue where a returning officer adds up the results from all polling stations in an electoral area and announces the result. Authorised agents, candidates, accredited observers and media may be present.
Regulations 83 and 85 of the Elections (General) Regulations. The term is not separately defined in the Act.
Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 · Elections (General) Regulations, 2012
- Voter Defined in law
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A person whose name is on the current register of voters. Adult citizens exercise their right to vote once registered.
Defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; right to vote in section 3 and Article 83 of the Constitution.
Elections Act, 2011 · Elections Act, 2011 · Constitution, Article 83
- Voter register Defined in law
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The Register of Voters: the current register of people entitled to vote, which may be compiled electronically. It is maintained by the IEBC. VotePulse does not hold or supply the official register.
"Register of Voters" is defined in section 2 of the Elections Act; see also section 4.