A Race against the Clock: Addressing Electoral Ignorance amongst the Youth

This week we sit down with Mr. Kalilu Totangi from NaCCED (National Council for Civic Education and Democracy (NaCCED) to discuss youth and electoral ignorance in Sierra Leone. In particular, recent surveys from IGR have revealed a striking amount of ignorance regarding the PR system despite its recent adoption, a switch from first-past-the-post (FPTP). Youth make up approximately 50% of the population, and there are many new first-time voters in the upcoming elections. What is worrying is that there is a lot of ignorance and lack of understanding about the PR system (surveys estimate about 60% of society doesn’t understand the system, and could be as high as 80%), how it operates, how parties are prioritised over individuals, as well as how party candidates can win, or even lose seats. The potential for confusion, distrust in electoral management bodies (EMB), and even the legitimacy of results is a real challenge for not only national EMBs, but also society and cohesion in the upcoming elections. So, what is being done to address this ignorance? What strategies are NaCCED and others using to educate society, particularly the youth, on the PR system?

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