EC to meet today to discuss Ramkalawan’s recount request |21 December 2015

Seychelles National Party presidential candidate Wavel Ramkalawan’s decision to reject the results of the run-off and demand a recount has forced the electoral commission to meet today with its lawyer to consider the various modalities of what to do next.

Electoral Commission chairman Hendrick Gappy said this early Saturday morning after Mr Ramkalawan had said in his speech following the announcement of the results that he will not accept the result.

Mr Ramkalawan also said the Seychelles National Party (SNP) had submitted a letter to Mr Gappy to request a recount of the votes.

Electoral Commission chairman Gappy confirmed receipt of the letter contesting the results and said: “I think Mr Ramkalawan has made it clear that he is not accepting the results, the results are very, very close…he’s asked for a recount. The commission will meet on Monday with our lawyer to consider the various modalities of what to do next.”

The Elections Act makes provision for all counted, rejected and unused ballot papers relating to a presidential election be kept for a period of three months from the date of the election.

“On the expiration of that period (the Chief Electoral Officer) shall destroy the ballot papers and other documents unless otherwise directed by the Constitutional Court or otherwise required for investigation or trial of an election petition or offence,” states the act.

Incumbent James Michel won the run-off vote in the presidential election after securing 50.15% (31,512) of votes cast while Mr Ramkalawan got 49.85% or 31,319. The margin of victory is 193 votes.

A total of 70,943 people were eligible to vote in all the 25 electoral areas. The total number of votes cast was 63,893 and the total in favour was 62,831. Therefore, a total of 1,062 votes were not in favour.

The run-off vote was held after none of six candidates won the necessary 50% plus one votes needed to be declared a winner in the first round held on December 3-5.

There have been a number of tight contests in the world over the past years. In the United States of America for example, so many contests have not only come down to the wire, but to a single state and a few hundred votes.

In 2000, the United States Supreme Court gave George W. Bush victory over Al Gore following a recount. This marked the fourth election in US history in which the eventual winner failed to win a plurality of the popular vote (after the elections of 1824, 1876, and 1888).

Meanwhile, Uhuru Kenyatta was elected Kenya’s president in 2003 after winning 50.51% of the votes to beat Raila Odinga (43.7%) and Musalia Mudavadi (3.96%).