An election is not only about casting a vote. It is also about whether every citizen can access and navigate the process.
On election day, democracy becomes physical. It becomes the queue outside a polling station, the voter looking for the correct room, the official providing guidance, the voting booth and, importantly, whether every citizen can physically access the space.
During the 2026 General Election, the Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF) participated in election monitoring, giving monitors an opportunity to observe how citizens experienced the electoral process at polling stations. We commend the Electoral Commission of Zambia for the general preparedness to manage the August 13th, 2026 General Election. Most Polling Stations monitored managed to open at the prescribed time.
While the exercise provided important insights into participation, it also highlighted practical barriers that deserve attention beyond election day. These observations point to a bigger question: What does meaningful participation actually look like?
When finding the right place becomes a barrier
One observation was the limited number of Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) staff available to guide voters at some polling stations.
For experienced voters, navigating the process may seem straightforward. But elections bring together people with different levels of familiarity with voting procedures. First-time voters, elderly citizens and people requiring additional assistance may depend on clear guidance to know where to go and what to do. When there are too few officials available to provide direction, a process intended to be accessible can become unnecessarily confusing.
The lesson is simple: participation is not only about being allowed to vote; it is also about being enabled to do so with clarity and dignity.
When the voting environment creates barriers
Monitors also observed that the arrangement and availability of some voting booths frustrated voters.
These may appear to be minor logistical issues, but the physical organisation of a polling station can shape the experience of participation. Congestion, limited space or difficulties navigating the voting area can make the process more challenging, particularly for people who may already face barriers to participation.
This is why election preparedness should consider more than whether polling materials and officials are in place. It should also ask: Can voters move through the process efficiently, comfortably and independently?
An Inclusive election must be accessible
Perhaps one of the most significant observations was the absence of ramps at some polling stations, creating challenges for persons with disabilities.This raises a fundamental question about inclusion.
The right to vote means little if the physical environment makes it difficult for someone to exercise that right. Accessibility therefore cannot be treated as an optional addition to electoral planning. It needs to be considered when polling stations are identified, prepared and assessed.
An inclusive election is not simply about placing a ballot box inside a building. It is about ensuring that all eligible voters can reach that ballot box and participate without unnecessary barriers. This means thinking about physical accessibility, clear information and appropriate support as part of the electoral process, not as issues to be addressed afterwards.
Who is watching the process?
Another observation was the relatively low presence of civil society observers at some polling stations monitored by the Zambian Governance Foundation.
Civil society plays an important role in strengthening transparency and accountability during elections. Independent observers can document what happens on the ground, identify challenges and contribute to broader conversations about improving electoral processes.
However, effective observation requires capacity, resources and coordination.
The limited presence observed in some locations on poll day therefore, raises an important question for the sector: How can civil society strengthen its ability to observe and document elections across more communities? How can civil society collectively come together to identify diverse capacities available, pool resources and coordinate effectively to document experiences about this important governance process.
When all is said and done, election observation should not just end with a report. The experiences gathered should contribute to learning and practical improvements ahead of the next electoral cycle.
From observation to action
The value of election monitoring ultimately lies in what happens with the lessons it produces.
For election administrators, the observations point to the importance of strengthening voter guidance, reviewing polling station layouts and making accessibility a central consideration in electoral planning.
For civil society, there is an opportunity to strengthen coordination and broaden observation networks so that more communities can be represented in the evidence gathered during elections.
And for citizens, the experience is a reminder that participation extends beyond simply turning up to vote. Citizens have a stake in asking whether democratic processes are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of different groups.
The election ends. The learning shouldn't.
The 2026 General Election was an important opportunity for citizens to exercise their democratic rights. But it was also an opportunity to observe how the systems around voting work in practice.
The lessons are sometimes found in the smallest details: a voter who does not know where to go, a polling booth that creates frustration, a person with a disability encountering a physical barrier, or a polling station where civil society observers are few.
Individually, these may seem like small issues. Collectively, they tell us something important about the quality of participation. A truly inclusive election is not simply one where citizens are permitted to vote. It is one where unnecessary barriers to participation are identified and removed.
The question after an election should therefore go beyond who won and who lost.
We should also ask: Who was able to participate easily? Who faced barriers? Who was there to observe? And what can we do differently next time?
It is ZGF’s considered view that building an accessible, inclusive and accountable democracy is an ongoing responsibility for every citizen.
To contribute to the discussion, please feel free to reach out via info@zgf.org.zm
