1. Robin Tyson University of Namibia June 2010
Reporting elections
Robin Tyson
University of Namibia
June 2010

2. Namibian elections
Presidential, National Assembly, Regional Council and Local Authority elections.
Regular elections held successfully since 1990

3. 3 electoral systems
In National Assembly and Local Authority elections a Proportional Representation system with party lists is used.
In Presidential elections the candidate that receives the most votes is elected as long as the candidate has more than 50 percent support.
For the Regional Council elections candidates face off in single member constituencies - the first past the post or plurality system

4. 2004 Presidential and national elections.
Turnout: 85%
SWAPO: 55 seats
Opposition parties: 17 seats
Support for Pohamba: 76%

5. Afrobarometer survey 2009
67% of respondents fully or fairly satisfied with how democracy is functioning in Namibia

6. IPPR survey 2004 Swapo received 43% of coverage
Opposition receive 57% of coverage

7. SABA Guidelines on covering elections - 2005
“broadcasters shall … afford political parties/contestants equitable and fair access to party election broadcasts and political advertisements.” [B 2.1]

8. SABC guidelines for covering elections - 1999
state that all parties should be treated equally [Section 3], but then notes that the same weight does not have to be given to very small parties that one has to allocate to serious contenders. They also note that this equitable treatment should take place over time, not necessarily in a single broadcast.

9. Namibia Communications Commission Act
Instructs licence holders not to “broadcast advertisements intended for or related to party political purposes”

10. NCC amendment 1997
may grant broadcasting time to political parties during a period of six weeks before the first polling day” and notes that time will be determined according to a formula of 40 percent to each political party as “equal broadcasting time” and the remainder [60 percent] divided according to “the percentage of votes which that political party received during the previous local, regional or national elections, as the case may be” [Article 7 [2a ii]]. In the case of a presidential election, the candidates shall receive equal broadcasting time. [Article 7 [2b]]