Gambia: IEC Sets Presidential Nomination Dates, Other Key Election Activities

What the report says

The Independent Electoral Commission of The Gambia has set out the main timetable for the country’s next presidential election, with voting scheduled for 5 December 2026 and candidate nominations set for 3 to 14 November. The announcement was made by IEC Chairman Joseph Colley during a stakeholders’ meeting in Serrekunda, as election preparations moved into a more active phase.

According to the report published by Foroyaa via AllAfrica, nomination forms will be available from 21 September, while applications to hire election and polling staff are due to be advertised on 2 October. The commission has already issued the election gazette notice and completed the appointment of returning officers, senior assistant returning officers and collation arrangements. It also said the work of revising courts is continuing, with the IEC noting that it will not interfere while those courts finish hearing cases.

The article said presidential hopefuls must be nominated by at least 5,000 registered voters and submit required supporting documents, including a declaration of assets and tax clearance. It also outlined the schedule for objections, corrections, campaign planning and the release of the voters’ roll to contesting parties. Campaigning is due to begin on 16 November, while the cooling-off period will fall on 4 December.

The timetable is important because it gives parties, candidates and election administrators a formal roadmap for one of The Gambia’s major political events. More broadly, the sequence of steps reflects standard election procedures under the country’s Electoral Act and constitution, which require advance notice, nomination rules and an official campaign window.